Invoice Barnwell over at ESPN carried out his annual summer time custom this week, embarking on the duty of rating all 32 NFL groups’ ability place teams — that being the huge receivers, working backs and tight ends on every roster. He appeared somewhat bullish on Atlanta’s unit, rating Arthur Smith’s playmakers because the tenth greatest unit within the league.

Earlier than giving these precise rankings, Barnwell defined his reasoning within the introduction of the article:

I’m making an attempt to separate out a crew’s playmakers — its working backs, huge receivers and tight ends completely — to estimate how they might carry out exterior of their present offense. In different phrases, if we gave each crew a median quarterback, offensive line and playcaller and had them play at a median tempo, which might have the league’s greatest offense?

This was a rating just for the outlook of on-field efficiency in 2023, accidents and suspensions being taken into consideration with huge receivers being weighted extra closely than working backs and tight ends, and with the first focus being on every crew’s high 5 contributors at these positions.

Here’s what Barnwell needed to say concerning the Falcons:

10. Atlanta Falcons

It is a very massive three. When everybody’s wholesome, the Falcons will roll out a top-10 choose at working again (Bijan Robinson), huge receiver (Drake London) and tight finish (Kyle Pitts). No crew because the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 has had a top-10 homegrown participant at these three positions on the similar time. A number of have achieved it with imported gamers; the one one since 2010 is the 2014 Lions, who had Reggie Bush, Calvin Johnson and Eric Ebron.

We are able to depart apart the quarterback state of affairs and the fee it took to get these three gamers to Atlanta, so let’s speak about how enjoyable this offense could be. Robinson loved glowing evaluations popping out of school and was considered among the finest gamers within the 2023 draft, unbiased of place. Tyler Allgeier was distinctive on this offense final season, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 0.7 dashing yards over anticipated per snap, so working again shouldn’t be a difficulty. The Falcons ought to have the league’s greatest one-two punch at halfback if Robinson lives as much as expectations.

The Falcons threw the ball 24 occasions per recreation in a league by which the common crew threw greater than 33 occasions per contest, so receiving numbers have been depressed for his or her two standouts. Taking a more in-depth look suggests there’s the potential for large numbers there. London was focused on a whopping 30.9% of his routes, the fourth-highest charge in soccer, and averaged 2.3 yards per route run. Give London the 573 routes Garrett Wilson ran for the Jets versus the 379 London ran and his numbers prorate to 109 catches for 1,309 receiving yards.

Coming off a 1,000-yard season as a rookie, Pitts was seen as a possible challenger to Travis Kelce’s throne in 12 months 2. It didn’t go as nicely. Pitts’ catch charge dropped beneath 50%, and he completed with simply 356 yards and two scores earlier than struggling a season-ending knee harm. I’m nonetheless optimistic, provided that he was averaging 1.8 yards per route run and commanding a goal share north of 30% earlier than the harm. The catch charge will bounce again, and if the Falcons throw extra usually Pitts and London will be capable to produce massive numbers.

Partially, that can be as a result of there isn’t a lot within the cabinet after them. Mack Hollins performed a ton of snaps for the Raiders as their third wideout final season, however he ranked seventieth in goal charge and 74th in yards per route run. Jonnu Smith joins after two irritating years with the Patriots, however he’s in all probability greatest as a blocking tight finish. This group goes to go so far as the massive three will take it.

The Falcons really had the second-biggest soar in these rankings from 2022 to now, going from twenty seventh general final offseason to tenth. Solely the Jaguars jumped greater, going from twenty eighth to ninth. In 2021, the Falcons have been ranked twenty first.

Not solely are the Birds ranked within the high 10 within the league, however they’re additionally the best-placed NFC South crew, with the Saints checking in at 14th, the Buccaneers at 18th and the Panthers at thirty first.

Predictions and expectations are what they’re and we are able to merely speculate throughout this time of the 12 months, with soccer nonetheless months away however Barnwell does a very good job of giving concise reasoning to his rankings.

The San Francisco 49ers topped the checklist, they usually have been by the Bengals, Eagles, Seahawks and Chargers within the high 5.

You could find the whole article, positioned at ESPN+, right here.

What say you? Is that this a very good, truthful spot for the Falcons?