Calvin Ridley of the Falcons knows that being able to have a top-three wide receiver weapon like Julio Jones is, in a nutshell, one of the best things a quarterback in the NFL can hope and dream for. Matt Ryan does not have to dream about that; it's a reality on a nightly basis thanks to Jones.
But Jones is the big name that continues to draw the most importance from opposing defenses, and even though Ryan continues to utilize Jones as the generational talent that he is, there is a need to divert targets to another source in the passing game.
Enter Calvin Ridley.
Having ascended to the status as being potentially the best second option in the entire league, and a talent that could easily start on most other teams, Ridley is a superb option that is entrenched in this Atlanta offense and someone that will regularly see the target share that will push him to most likely setting career highs in multiple offensive categories.
For Ryan, he is a top-12 QB currently in the league, and his success has been reliant on him having Jones to catch hundreds of passes from him over the years. Calvin Ridley holds more importance coming into the 2020 NFL season than ever, thanks to the kind of talent that he has turned into.
Taking Pressure off Jones
Everyone knows the kind of player that Jones is, as he has consistently been the top offensive producer for the Falcons ever since he was drafted. And even with opposing defenses knowing how dominant he is, Jones has still been able to show his utter domination in the NFL, even if the receiving touchdowns have not quite been there.
Having Calvin Ridley be the second wide receiver on this team is an absolute bonus for this team, especially for Ryan, and it helps open up the offensive attack very well. Ridley would be an instant WR1 on pretty much any other team in the league, so the luxury of having two top options on the same team is something that Ryan has been able to take advantage of in his career.
The role of tight end has been integral in the Atlanta attack as well, which helped project Austin Hooper to a huge new contract with the Cleveland Browns. And with former Baltimore Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst being plugged in as the top tight end option for Ryan to target in 2020, Calvin Ridley’s familiarity with the offense becomes even more of an important factor.
In Calvin Ridley’s career, he has produced two 800+ yard seasons, including 821 yards in his rookie year. His 64 receptions, which currently represents a career high, helped produce 10 touchdowns, showing that from the get go, Ryan trusted him.
2020 Role
Hauling in nine catches for 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns to open up the season against the Seattle Seahawks, Ridley had the bigger game between the two receivers for Atlanta, but not by much.
Jones tied Calvin Ridley with nine catches, and he actually put up more yards than Ridley, as he had 157 receiving yards, but no scores. So while Jones put up bigger statistical numbers, Ridley had the overall better day, both with game importance and from a fantasy state.
Calvin Ridley, Jones, and Russell Gage shared the target lead with 12 targets apiece from Ryan, showing that the even spreading of the ball is going to be key to furnishing a high-powered offense. Plus, the sight of the ATL defense on the field gives opposing offensive units no scare at all, so the Falcons will most likely be playing from behind, helping create a consistent presence of targets and output for Ridley.
Jones is going to take on the lion share of focus from opposing defenses obviously, which will help open up targets for Ridley, Hurst, Gage, and even Todd Gurley out of the backfield, who is looking to put together a bounceback season and prove that he is still a worthwhile running back investment for an NFL team. With the Falcons seeming to be very willing to move Ridley into the slot to help spread the ball out, a bigger target share all the way around should be expected going into his third season.
Ryan has been on the wrong end of teams that have fallen victim to their own high expectations, to the point where head coach Dan Quinn has been looking in the mirror ever since the beginning of the 2019 NFL regular season. And with the tools that Ryan has, along with the weapons in this offense, there are no allowable expectations that can be thrown out there anymore.
The Falcons fell in their first game of the 2020 season to the Seahawks, 38-25, and the game was not really all that competitive. So, if the Falcons continue to find themselves in passing opportunities, Ridley’s shares should increase, which, in turn, should help increase the likelihood of Ryan being able to, at a minimum, get back into postseason contention.
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