Jimmy Garoppolo has been inconsistent as a fantasy player this season, but has shown great spiked performances, with 28-plus fantasy points in three of his last six games. Those spikes came against the Cardinals twice and then last week against the Saints. He’s completed over 70 percent of his passes in six of his last seven games and has been excellent whenever throwing deep.
The down games are there, as he has one or fewer touchdown passes in six games this season, but he has given fantasy players more to hope for of late. Much depends on game script, as the 49ers won’t throw the ball as their base offense. If they are moving the ball on the ground and holding down the opponent’s offense, Garoppolo’s numbers won’t be great.
Fantasy football analysis: San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo
The Falcons make for a good opponent, as they allow the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in the league but they have had trouble offensively of late. Last week, they broke out of their slump for 40 points against the Panthers. They also lost Calvin Ridley in the process.
For Garoppolo to reach his upside, the Falcons will need to put up a fight. The 49ers defense has been stout all season but were ethered last week by Drew Brees. Before Brees threw for 349 yards and five touchdowns against them, the highest number they had allowed was to Andy Dalton in Week 2 at 311 yards and two touchdowns. No other quarterback topped 241 yards against them. In all, only four quarterbacks have gone over 200 yards and only Brees has thrown over two touchdowns.
Now, back at home, the odds of Matt Ryan and his suspect offensive line putting up big numbers of the 49ers seems like a long shot. Garoppolo is in the streaming conversation this week, but he isn’t in a smash start with the playoffs on the line.
Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation
Sit in the fantasy playoffs.