7. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
2019 was certainly a down year for both the Atlanta Falcons and their quarterback. After their 2016 season which ended in a Super Bowl loss, and saw Matt Ryan earn both Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player, Ryan’s numbers have trended downward over the past three years. In both 2017 and 2018 he posted identical ANY/A marks of 7.12 (down from his 2016 number of 9.03 which led the league) and in 2019 his ANY/A fell to 6.08, 19th in the league.
Part of this is due to the quarterback of course, and part is also due to the surroundings. Last year Ryan was sacked 48 times, tying him with Russell Wilson for the most in the league. He still performed well under duress, as his Adjusted Completion Percentage of 66.5% when pressured was eighth-best in the league, but those hits and that pressure takes a toll.
Still, Ryan is worth betting on. He continues to have one of the game’s best receivers at his disposal in Julio Jones. Calvin Ridley is an a solid number two across from Jones. Ryan still has the ability to quickly work through his reads and make smart, quick decisions with the football. He remains one of the game’s more accurate passers – bolstered by the difference of 1.4% between his Expected Completion Percentage and his actual Completion Percentage. And while he does not go deep often – just 9.1% of his throws last year were 20 yards or more – he is effective when he does. Ryan’s Adjusted Completion Percentage of 48.2% was fifth-best in the league.