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        Falcons going back to Desmond Ridder

        By Jared Smola | Updated on Sun, Nov 19 2023 1:11 PM UTC
        Desmond Ridder Headshot

        The Falcons will start QB Desmond Ridder vs. the Saints in Week 12, according to NFL Network. QB Taylor Heinicke didn't prove to be an upgrade over the last three games, completing just 55% of his passes at 6.7 yards per attempt. So Atlanta will go back to Ridder, who's registered a 65% completion rate and 7.1 yards per attempt this season. "The Falcons believed the bulk of Ridder's mistakes were correctable & felt he had a lot of learning to do," NFL Network's James Palmer tweeted. "A move back to him was always planned unless Taylor Heinicke went on a ridiculous run. It wasn't like they fell out of love with Ridder. Needed a reset." Ridder sat 18th among QBs in fantasy points through Week 7 and will return as a mid-range QB2. The Falcons have the ninth-toughest remaining QB schedule, although there are positive matchups vs. the Colts and Bears in Weeks 16 and 17.

        Jared Smola Author Image
        Jared Smola, Lead Analyst
        Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks sixth among 158 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.
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