Injuries, losses keep piling up for winless Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are losing games and defensive backs in equally proficient fashionOCTOBER 6, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
TODD GURLEY II
Scampers for two scores on MNF Gurley registered 57 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, also catching his lone target for a six-yard gain during Monday's 30-16 loss to the Packers
Impact Brian Griese was marveling on the Monday Night Football broadcast about the fact that the Falcons handed Brian Hill back-to-back red-zone carries on a crucial early-fourth-quarter drive. Lone behold, Gurley retook the field the subsequent play and steered a carry around the left edge of Atlanta's offensive line for a three-yard score, his second goal-line TD in as many drives. The two-time All-Pro has contributed practically zilch in the pass-catching department (four catches for nine yards on the year), but the fact that Gurley has four touchdowns in four outings boosts his value substantially. He faces Carolina in Week 5, and a Panthers defense that has been a fantasy goldmine for running backs in allowing a league-high seven rushing TDs to the position.
OCTOBER 6, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Struggling Giants head to LA in search of Judge's first win
The New York Giants are headed to Los Angeles this weekend in search of Joe Judge's first victory as their head coachOCTOBER 1, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
FANTASY PLAYS: Players to add include Jefferson, Higgins
FANTASY PLAYS: Players to add for Week 4 include rookie receivers Justin Jefferson of Minnesota and Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati and Seattle running back Carlos HydeSEPTEMBER 29, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brockers: Rams motivated when comeback fell short in Buffalo
The Los Angeles Rams all realized they did enough to lose in Buffalo long before a debatable pass interference call went against them in the last minuteSEPTEMBER 28, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Where do Atlanta Falcons go after another epic meltdown?
The Atlanta Falcons have returned to work, trying to convey a sense of normalcy in a season that has quickly flown off the railsSEPTEMBER 28, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Todd Gurley goes off in Falcons third straight loss Former Georgia running back Todd Gurley went off for the Falcons in yet another demoralizing loss. Gurley went for 80 yards and a touchdown...
SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 • USATODAY.COM
Solid performance against Bears Gurley registered 80 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, also catching one of his two targets for two receiving yards during Sunday's 30-26 loss to the Bears.
Impact The two-time All-Pro back enjoyed an efficient afternoon on the ground, as his 5.7 yards-per-carry average against the Bears marks his best since Week 10 of last season. Gurley punched in a 10-yard TD run at the 12:34 mark of the third quarter to provide Atlanta with a two-possession lead, but for a second straight week, the Falcons blew a second-half lead of at least 16 points. He has just three total receiving yards through three games, but a workload of 16.3 rush attempts per game is enough to retain Gurley as a strong fantasy play heading into a Week 4 matchup against the Packers. Coming into the weekend, Green Bay ranked among the NFL's 10 worst defenses with 4.9 yards per carry allowed to opposing running backs.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Another Falcons collapse: Foles' 3 TDs lead 30-26 Bears win
The Atlanta Falcons have suffered another historic collapseSEPTEMBER 27, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Henderson willing to carry LA Rams with fellow RBs hurting
Darrell Henderson is the healthiest running back left in the Los Angeles Rams' trio of replacements for Todd GurleySEPTEMBER 24, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
McVay's Rams look tougher than many expected after 2-0 start
Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams are not interested in taking any steps backwardSEPTEMBER 21, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Held in check by Cowboys Gurley registered 61 rushing yards on 21 carries, and he was not targeted during Sunday's 40-39 loss to the Cowboys.
Impact Immediate indications of Gurley's overall workload are encouraging, but the lack of passing game usage is slightly troubling in the early going of his Falcons career. That element was crucial to him becoming an All-Pro and fantasy rockstar between 2017 and 2018. Gurley did see his receiving involvement decrease substantially last year as he only garnered 49 targets in his final season as a Ram, but at his peak the two years prior, Gurley accounted for better than 60 catches per year with an average of 684 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. Through two games in Atlanta, Gurley has just two catches for one yard, while backup Brian Hill has tallied four catches for 19 yards. Gurley does have 35 carries through his first two outings, but given that he's running behind a line that allowed the sixth-most stuffs in 2019, rushing opportunities may not be an uber-efficient route to fantasy production.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
AP source: Woods gets 4-year, $68M extension with LA Rams
A person with knowledge of the deal says receiver Robert Woods has agreed to a four-year contract extension worth up to $68 million with the Los Angeles RamsSEPTEMBER 18, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Top-flight Seahawks await Cam Newton, Patriots in Week 2
The Seattle Seahawks have had a nasty habit of starting slowlySEPTEMBER 18, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
McVay: Rams intend to ink WR Robert Woods to extension soon
The Los Angeles Rams intend to sign receiver Robert Woods to a contract extension soonSEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cowboys host Falcons, with McCarthy moving past memory lane
Mike McCarthy is moving on from memory lane as he gets ready for his first home game as coach of the Dallas CowboysSEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Goff, Wentz have lived up to expectations so far since draft
Jared Goff and Carson Wentz are an NFL raritySEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Falcons commit to renewed run game with Gurley - for 1 half
The Atlanta Falcons showed in the first half of their loss to the Seattle Seahawks how their offense could look with a firm commitment to Todd Gurley and the running gameSEPTEMBER 14, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
4th-down plays on 2 straight possessions help doom Falcons
It is a crucial season for Falcons coach Dan Quinn, and Atlanta already faces a familiar challengeSEPTEMBER 13, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Scores in team debut Gurley ran for 56 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries during Sunday's 38-25 loss to Seattle. He also caught two of five targets for one receiving yard.
Impact The 26-year-old back is extremely familiar with Pete Carroll's defense, having faced off against the Seahawks two times per year during his five-year tenure as a Ram. Gurley was held to a meager 3.4 yards per carry in two appearances against the Seahawks last year, but he was able to punch in three touchdowns during those contests. In his Falcons debut, Gurley came out swinging against the familiar foe, racking up 38 yards on his first eight carries of the afternoon and providing Atlanta's first touchdown of 2020. The two-time All-Pro averaged just 3.0 yards per attempt the rest of the way, as the game script faded his involvement with Atlanta trailing throughout the second half. Week 2 brings a matchup against a Cowboys defense that gets 2018 Pro Bowl linebacker Leighton Vander Esch back in the lineup after he missed seven games in 2019 due to a neck injury.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Racial injustice themes fill empty NFL stadiums
NFL teams opening their seasons in empty stadiums knelt, locked arms or raised fists in protest for pregame ceremonies on the first full Sunday of the football seasonSEPTEMBER 13, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gurley ready to prove he's 100 percent healthy for Falcons
Falcons running back Todd Gurley believes he and his new team are a perfect match as he seeks to rejuvenate a career affected by knee injuriesSEPTEMBER 11, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Life at 40-plus: Brady vs Brees is tastiest of NFL matchups
Life at 40 can be sweetSEPTEMBER 11, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Familiar opponents: Seahawks, Falcons know each other well
The offseason program was virtualSEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rams LB Terrell Lewis' knee problem less serious than feared
Linebacker Terrell Lewis will miss at least the first three weeks of his rookie season with the Rams due to a right knee problem that isn’t as serious as Los Angeles first fearedSEPTEMBER 9, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
