Van Jefferson Traded to Falcons | Can Jefferson Become Fantasy Relevant Again?
Wide receiver Van Jefferson looked like he was ready to become one of the league’s better receivers after a strong 2021 season with the Los Angeles Rams. Injuries hobbled him in 2022, and he was essentially played out of the rotation this season, so Los Angeles decided to trade him to the Atlanta Falcons.
It’s not a trade that’s going to make a lot of headlines, but it does open the chance to Jefferson to potentially become fantasy relevant again. Let’s talk about it.
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Jefferson’s Early NFL Years
Jefferson was a second-round pick of the Rams in the 2020 NFL Draft. He played in 16 games during his rookie season, but didn’t do a whole lot, with just 19 catches, 220 receiving yards and a touchdown on 31 targets.
He broke out in 2021, when he started all 17 games. He caught 50 passes on 89 targets, going for 802 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers helped the Rams win the Super Bowl at the end of the year.
Jefferson dealt with injuries the following year, playing in just 11 games in total. He made 24 grabs on 44 targets and accumulated 369 yards and three touchdowns.
Jefferson looked like he might have a chance to lead the team’s pass catchers in the early going of this season as Cooper Kupp dealt with an injury, but guys like Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell stole the show instead.
The veteran wideout caught four passes in week 1, but for just 24 yards. He’s had just four grabs in the four games since, and did not record a touchdown. He played 83% or more of the team’s offensive snaps in weeks 1-4, but had just two snaps when Kupp returned to the lineup in week 5.
Instead of letting his talent rot on the bench, the Rams decided to ship him out of town and give him a chance elsewhere.
Jefferson’s Outlook with the Falcons
Jefferson now joins an Atlanta group of pass catchers that’s been pretty unimpressive so far. There’s four players with over 100 receiving yards, but none have over 250 yards.
Tight end Kyle Pitts currently leads the team with 32 targets, while wideout Drake London is at 31. Jonnu Smith, another tight end, has 27 targets, while receiver Mack Hollins sits at 19 targets.
Only Smith has over 20 catches, with 21. He also leads the team in receiving yards (246).
Pitts has 18 grabs and 208 yards, while London has 17 catches, 204 yards and the team’s only two receiving scores. Hollins had 143 yards on nine receptions.
While there’s been a handful of players to contribute to the Falcons’ passing game, none have stood out. A lot of that has to do with Desmond Ridder being a below-average quarterback so far, but Jefferson at least has the chance to come in and start contributing right away.
Atlanta’s depth chart has not been updated to include Jefferson, but there’s a decent chance he starts and logs a good amount of snaps right away. It might take him a couple weeks to get up to speed with the offense as a whole, but there’s definitely going to be opportunities for Jefferson to make an impact and become fantasy relevant again.
Should You Start Jefferson in Week 6 or Going Forward?
Jefferson is expected to make his Atlanta debut in week 6 against the Washington Commanders. It’s a favorable matchup for Jefferson and the Atlanta wideouts, as Washington has allowed an average of 44 fantasy points a game to opposing receivers. Washington's defense was shredded by the Chicago Bears passing game a week ago.
It’s tough to speculate how Jefferson might be utilized in his first week for the team, and given that Atlanta hasn’t been that good of a passing team so far, I’d advise against starting Jefferson. Even in deeper leagues it’s a risky move to start him, but there are probably worse options out there.
Our charts show Jefferson is owned in just 10% of leagues right now, and that number could shoot way up if he shows some promise in the coming week.
I’d have to see at least one week of production from Jefferson in Atlanta before feeling confident enough to start Jefferson. We’ll revisit Jefferson and the Falcons’ offense again when he puts forth a good showing.
