Falcons training camp: Friday scrimmage highlights

Since this year’s training camp doesn’t include a preseason, the Atlanta Falcons are using their home stadium to help replicate game situations.

Since this year’s training camp doesn’t include a preseason, the Atlanta Falcons are doing what they can to help replicate game situations.

On Friday, the the team held its second scrimmage of camp, this time from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley caught a touchdown and running back Todd Gurley ran the ball well.

Check out highlights from Friday’s scrimmage, as shared by the Falcons’ Twitter account below.

[lawrence-related id=57190,57182,57168,57156]

[vertical-gallery id=57162]

Sleepers and Value Plays: Running Backs Update

2020 Fantasy Sleepers – Running Backs

A sleeper running back is a player taken as a backup who ends up worthy of being a starter or at least far outplays the draft slot where you selected him.  Average Draft Positions (ADP) are taken from MyFantasyLeague.com  using only recent drafts.

See also:
Sleepers and Value Plays: Quarterbacks Update
Sleepers and Value Plays: Wide Receivers Update
Sleepers and Value Plays: Tight Ends Update

The Average Draft order shows a general picture of how your draft will unfold and where values/sleepers and bad values/busts likely exist. Any green highlight means the player is a good value that could be taken earlier. A red highlight signifies an overvalued player that is a bad value or just too high of a risk for that spot.

Average Draft order – Value plays

Sleepers and over-valued players

Best of the rest

Chris Thompson (JAC) – Worth noting that Jay Gruden is the offensive coordinator and he brought along Thompson with him from the Redskins Football Team where he had as many as 49 catches in a season.

Carlos Hyde (SEA) – Hyde finally lasted all 16 games in 2019 and turned in 1,070 rushing yards. This is his seventh year and fourth NFL team but Seattle loves to run the ball and Rashard Penny blew his knee last year and starts out on the PUP list. Hyde is a great handcuff pick for the Chris Carson owner and may end up with some stand-alone value.

 

Falcons RB Todd Gurley back at practice on Wednesday

The Falcons gave running back Todd Gurley a scheduled day off during Tuesday’s padded practice but he returned on Wednesday.

The Falcons gave running back Todd Gurley a scheduled day off during Tuesday’s padded practice. According to team reporter Kelsey Conway, Gurley is back at practice today.

Keeping Gurley fresh could be one the Falcons’ keys to success this season as the team tries to get back to the playoffs following two-straight 7-9 finishes in 2018 and 2019. It’s clear the coaching staff has a plan to help the former Georgia star enter Week 1 against the Seahawks in the best shape possible.

The Falcons have also placed backup guard Jamon Brown in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

[lawrence-related id=56741,56738,56730]

[vertical-gallery id=56640]

Georgia football play of the day – Georgia vs Clemson (2014)

Watch the Georgia football play of the day here!

It’s Monday, August 17 and today’s play of the day comes from Georgia versus Clemson in their 2014 match up, which featured the No. 16 Tigers against No. 12 Georgia at Sanford Stadium in Athens.

There were some great players in this one. Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Malcolm Mitchell, Chris Conley, Lorenzo Carter, Leonard Floyd to name a few and oh, Todd Gurley too.

 

Gurley’s 2nd quarter kick-return score set up Georgia for a 45-21 win. The Tigers failed to score another point after Gurley’s score here. He finished with 198 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Falcons 2020 training camp: Highlights from Friday’s practice

The Atlanta Falcons put on their new pads and helmets for the second day of live-action training camp practice on Friday.

The Atlanta Falcons put on their new pads and helmets for the second day of live-action training camp practice on Friday. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, though, camp observations will be tougher to come by this season.

But don’t worry because the Falcons’ social media accounts have got you covered. Check out the full two-minute video of the team’s Friday’s practice below.

[lawrence-related id=56488,56353,56383,56401]

[vertical-gallery id=56343]

Todd Gurley offered some details of the Gatorade commercial with Zion

The Falcons running back shared some behind-the-scenes details on how the new Gatorade commercial was produced.

[jwplayer 6YKYPoxe]

Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley was among the athletes that appeared in a new Gatorade commercial that debuted last month with the return of professional sports around the world and across the United States.

Gurley starred alongside New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson, Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper and Olympic track and field athlete Sydney McLaughlin in the commercial.

The athletes in the 30-second spot are depicted as being excited to just be playing anything again after sports shuttered for several months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gurley tried his hand at baseball, lacrosse and even soccer in the ad.

Gurley offered some behind-the-scenes details Friday on “The Dan Patrick Show” on how that commercial was shot as it has been running daily during live sporting events.

“We all did it at our house,” Gurley said. “So, I did it at my house in California. I guess Bryce did his maybe in Florida or Philly and then Zion did his in New Orleans. It was kinda like a Zoom shoot.”

The commercial was the first for Williamson, who signed on to endorse the sports drink prior to the start of his rookie season. The rest of the athletes in the ad have been with the company for some time now and all came together to create a fun commercial with sports back front and center.

[lawrence-related id=21338,20627,16096]

[vertical-gallery id=14282]

Throwback Highlights: Gurley completes 50-yard pass for Georgia

With a month before Week 1 arrives, though, let’s go back to Gurley’s college days to when he did his best Michael Vick impression.

Fans in Atlanta are ecstatic to see former Georgia star running back Todd Gurley line up in a Falcons uniform this season. Since there’s still a month until Week 1 arrives, though, let’s go back to Gurley’s college days when he did his best Michael Vick impression.

Watch below as Gurley heaves the ball downfield with his left hand and completes a 50-yard bomb during a win over Vanderbilt in 2014, as shared by Georgia Football’s Twitter account:

[lawrence-related id=56392,54853,56324,56353]

[vertical-gallery id=56343]

Falcons WR Julio Jones has confidence in RB Todd Gurley

Julio Jones knows how much a dynamic runner can help Atlanta’s offense after it sputtered for most of 2019.

Perhaps nobody is more excited about the Falcons signing Todd Gurley than the man that showed up at the running back’s home following Gurley’s release from the Rams.

Julio Jones knows how much a dynamic runner can help Atlanta’s offense after it sputtered for most of 2019. Opposing defenses were able to key in on Jones, and despite his impressive numbers, the team’s lack of balance hindered his effectiveness at times.

So it should come as no surprise that Jones is confident in Gurley to recapture his All-Pro form in 2020. Talking with reporters after Thursday’s camp practice, Jones discussed his expectations for the Falcons’ new running back.

[lawrence-related id=56353,56412,56401,56392,56374]

[vertical-gallery id=56343]

Falcons players show off team’s new all-black uniforms

Falcons fans are in desperate need of football, but Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season is still a month away.

Falcons fans are in desperate need of football, but Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season is still a month away. So for now, images of the players wearing Atlanta’s new all-black uniforms will have to do.

Let’s look at every picture the Falcons have released of this year’s team wearing the all-black version of its new design.

Gurley, Hurst and Fowler:

DT Grady Jarrett:

TGIII:

Running Backs:

2020 Rookie Class:

Return of S Keanu Neal:

WR Calvin Ridley:

Kicker Younghoe Koo:

[lawrence-related id=56353,56271,56124,56324,56308]

[vertical-gallery id=56343]

Dimitroff says Gurley was high on Falcons’ draft board in 2015

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff passed on running back Todd Gurley during the 2015 NFL Draft. Atlanta selected DE Vic Beasley at pick No. 8, while Gurley went two spots later to the Rams.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff passed on running back Todd Gurley during the 2015 NFL Draft. Atlanta instead selected DE Vic Beasley at pick No. 8, while Gurley went two spots later at pick No. 10.

Beasley had his moments, leading the league in sacks (15.5) during the team’s 2016 Super Bowl run. But outside out that Pro-Bowl season, his Falcons tenure left something to be desired.

Gurley, despite a leg injury coming out of Georgia, was pretty much an instant success for the Rams. As we examined here at Falcons Wire a few weeks ago, Gurley’s first five seasons are comparable with Adrian Peterson.

What if Atlanta had drafted Gurley instead? According to Dimitroff, the star RB out of Georgia was very high on the Falcons’ draft board, as reported by ESPN’s Vaughn McClure.

Through his first five seasons with the Rams, Gurley racked up 7,494 all-purpose yards and 70 total touchdowns in 73 games played. Although Dimitroff had a point in terms of the team’s needs back then.

Devonta Freeman rushed for over 1,000 yards with double-digit touchdowns in 2015 and 2016. Still, it’s fun to imagine what the offense might have looked like with Gurley starting for Atlanta during those years.

[lawrence-related id=56297,56271,56277,56248,56225]

[vertical-gallery id=55998]