MIKE DAVIS NEWS

FANTASY PLAYS: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 4

Kirk Cousins plays a Cleveland Browns team that is just 16th in adjusted fantasy points per drop-back against quarterbacks and is playing in a dome, which is more conducive to big...

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Another 16-touch game Davis rushed 12 times for 50 yards and caught all four of his targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 17-14 win over the Giants.

Impact Davis' output has been rather consistent through three weeks, with his 70 scrimmage yards Sunday falling right in his usual range to this point. The veteran missed out on a good opportunity to score his first touchdown, though, getting stuffed on a one-yard attempt in the fourth quarter. While backup Cordarrelle Patterson once again made a bigger impact than Davis, totaling 102 yards on his 13 touches, Davis at least remains a steady presence in Atlanta's offense with a bit of untapped upside should he begin to find the end zone soon.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Tevaughn Campbell forces Tyreek Hill fumble, Mike Davis scoops up fumble for return Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Tevaughn Campbell forces Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill fumble, defensive back Mike Davis...

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 • NFL.COM

FANTASY PLAYS: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 3

Justin Herbert has yet to put up a big fantasy outing, but it could be on the way

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Opportunity knocks: Feeling good about Mike Davis and Jared Goff's volume; checking in on each skill position Renee Miller offers glass half-full or half-empty calls on slow starting players of interest to fantasy football managers, like Mike Davis.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Brain games: Mike Davis, Mark Ingram optimism, Tyler Higbee pessimism, and more, heading into Week 3 Renee Miller offers glass half-full or half-empty calls on slow starting players of interest to fantasy football managers, like Mike Davis.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Logs 16 total touches in loss Davis rushed nine times for 38 yards and brought in all seven targets for 25 yards in the Falcons' 48-25 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Impact Davis managed the relatively rare feat of averaging more than four yards per tote against the brick wall that is the Buccaneers' defensive front, but his opportunities were limited overall in a game during which the Falcons were unsurprisingly forced to lean heavily on the pass. Davis benefited from that development, however, putting in his usual stellar work as a receiver out of the backfield to give fantasy managers rostering him in PPR formats a decent tally on the day. Davis does continue to share a good bit of touches with hybrid backfield mate Cordarrelle Patterson, but he could enjoy a more voluminous workload on the ground in Week 3 against a Giants team the Falcons should be able to keep pace with.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

FANTASY PLAYS: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 2

Despite Aaron Rodgers’ poor game in Week 1, the simulations are high on him to post a top-12 week against the Detroit Lions, who allowed Jimmy Garoppolo to throw for 314 yards on j...

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Falcons' Ryan, 36, calls Bucs' Brady, 44, 'great motivation'

Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons are looking to regroup after being held to two field goals in their 32-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles to open the season

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Garners 72 total yards as starter Davis rushed 15 times for 49 yards and secured three of six targets for 23 yards in the Falcons' 32-6 loss to the Eagles on Sunday.

Impact Davis was announced as the No. 1 back ahead of Sunday's season-opening contest, and while head coach Arthur Smith held true to that pledge, Davis' rushing attempts were ultimately capped to an extent due to game flow. The veteran back was able to cobble together a solid fantasy output from a yardage perspective due to his pass-catching role, but backfield mate Cordarrelle Patterson, a former receiver with a similar skillset, garnered nine touches of his own, including seven carries. Next up for Davis is the unenviable task of facing the Buccaneers' run defense on the road in Week 2.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Pitts, offense held in check in disappointing Falcons debut

Atlanta first-year coach Arthur Smith and some Falcons newcomers did not enjoy the opening game they hoped for

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Confirmed as Week 1 starter Falcons coach Arthur Smith confirmed that Davis will be the team's starting running back for Sunday against the Eagles, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution rep...

Impact Davis will open his Falcons tenure with a home game against a team with a new coaching staff, though Philadelphia still has a strong defensive line led by DT Fletcher Cox. In terms of workload, Davis should be fairly busy given that Cordarrelle Patterson and Wayne Gallman are the other backfield options in Atlanta. It's arguably the least impressive backfield in the league, or at least it was until the Ravens lost their top three guys to season-ending injuries. In any case, Davis has a solid chance to rank among the top-10 RBs in Week 1 snap share, but top-10 production is a much bigger ask.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

FANTASY PLAYS: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 1

The start-or-sit dilemma is part of managing a fantasy football team

SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Panthers add depth at running back, claim Royce Freeman

The Carolina Panthers have claimed running back Royce Freeman off waivers from the Denver Broncos, giving them some veteran experience behind Christian McCaffrey

SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

New coach, new GM, no Julio: Falcons begin major overhaul

New coach

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brady's Bucs poised to end Saints' 4-year run atop NFC South

Don't expect the New Orleans Saints to cede bragging rights in the NFC South too easily

AUGUST 30, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Logs one snap Sunday Davis was on the field for just one play before giving way to the backups in Sunday's preseason loss to the Browns. He did not receive a touch during his time on the field.

Impact There are no reports of any injury here, so the Falcons were just playing it safe with the majority of their starters. Davis is firmly entrenched as the Falcons' starting running back, but he might have to share the workload with youngsters -- i.e. Caleb Huntley, who was the first to relieve Davis on Sunday -- over the course of the season. We should get a clearer picture on how big Davis' role can be when the Falcons take on the Eagles in Week 1.

AUGUST 30, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Suiting up Sunday Davis is in uniform ahead of Sunday's preseason game versus the Browns, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Impact Along with Davis, both Matt Ryan and Calvin Ridley also are dressed, so Atlanta may be getting its first sight of its key skill-position players before the regular season.

AUGUST 30, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Held out again Davis is among the Falcons' key players yet to see preseason action, Jeff Schultz of The Athletic reports.

Impact It remains to be seen if the likes of Davis, QB Matt Ryan, TE Kyle Pitts and WR Calvin Ridley will see any action in next Sunday's preseason finale against the Browns, but Schultz suggests that they may take the field for a drive or two in that contest. Either way, Davis remains firmly atop the Falcons' running back depth chart as things stand, with Cordarrelle Patterson, Qadree Ollison, D'Onta Foreman, Caleb Huntley and Javian Hawkins in the backup/complementary mix.

AUGUST 22, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Running back roundtable: Our expert panel on Ezekiel Elliott's draft position, Mike Davis, RB obsessions and more We assembled an All-Star expert panel to answer the pressing questions about running backs — from Ezekiel Elliott to the Houston backfield.

AUGUST 18, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Woodside, Barkley throw TDs as Titans stop Falcons 23-3

Logan Woodside and Matt Barkley each threw touchdown passes to open Tennessee’s backup quarterback competition and the Titans beat the Atlanta Falcons 23-3 in each team’s preseason...

AUGUST 14, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Falcons sign D'Onta Foreman, activate Kaleb McGary

The Atlanta Falcons have signed running back D’Onta Foreman

AUGUST 9, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Fantasy football mailbag: Strategy for drafting on the turn, exploring Mike Davis' value and more Brandon Marianne Lee opens up the fantasy football mailbag, with questions about trading Deshaun Watson, picking on the turn and more

AUGUST 4, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

RB Davis says move to hometown Falcons a 'dream come true'

Mike Davis is eager to open his first training camp with his hometown Atlanta Falcons

JULY 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Enters camp as starter Davis enter training camp as Atlanta's projected starter at running back, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Impact Entering camp atop the depth chart is a first for Davis in his career, though he does have 22 NFL starts to his name, including 12 in 2020 for the Panthers. The 28-year-old landed in Atlanta on a two-year, $5.5 million contract this offseason, joining a backfield where the other options are Qadree Ollison, Cordarrelle Patterson, Tony Brooks-James and a pair of undrafted rookies (Javian Hawkins and Caleb Huntley). New head coach Arthur Smith isn't likely to recreate his powerful rushing attack from Tennessee, but he should at least be more committed to his running game than the previous regime in Atlanta. It's a nice opportunity for Davis, though some form of committee is more likely than a true three-down role.

JULY 21, 2021 • ROTOWIRE