Falcons' Drake London, Cordarrelle Patterson Fantasy Trade Advice Ahead of Deadline

Fantasy football trade deadlines are rapidly approaching, and a trio of Atlanta Falcons should be talked about in that vein.

Tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London have underperformed, begging the question as to whether they are good buy-low candidates.

On the other hand, running back Cordarrelle Patterson returned to the lineup Sunday after missing a month with a knee injury.

The Falcons didn't hold him back against the Los Angeles Chargers, and he finished with 18.3 point-per-reception points after scoring a pair of touchdowns to go with 53 yards on 14 touches.

Should enterprising teams look to offload Patterson while his fantasy stock is high? Alternatively, is it worth it for fantasy players to try to add Patterson even if the price is high?

Here's a breakdown on all of the above.

The Falcons have been an anomaly this year.

On the surface, they appear to have two pass-catching stars in Pitts and London, who were selected fourth and eighth in the past two NFL drafts.

But neither player has been featured this year. Pitts has 23 catches on 46 targets for 285 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. London has 33 receptions on 56 targets for 369 yards and two scores in nine matchups.

Pitts has been feast or famine, too. He had five catches for 87 yards against the Seattle Seahawks and five receptions for 80 yards and a score versus the Carolina Panthers. Otherwise, he has just 13 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. He has not amassed more than three catches or 27 yards in any of those contests.

London was good over the first three weeks (16 catches, 214 yards, two touchdowns). In the six games since, though, he has just 17 catches for 155 yards and zero touchdowns. He's averaged just 5.2 targets during that span.

Before the season, FantasyPros ranked Pitts as the 32nd player and the No. 3 tight end in PPR leagues. London was a borderline flex player at No. 94 overall and No. 39 among wideouts.

However, per FantasyData, Pitts is just 17th among tight ends in PPR leagues, making him a backup tight end at best. London is the No. 52 wide receiver, so he's at best a bench option, if he's not on the waiver wire.

The talent is unquestionably there for both players.

The 6'6", 246-pound Pitts, who amassed 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Florida Gators in 2020, was amazing as a rookie with 68 catches for 1,026 yards and one touchdown.

London, the former USC star, snagged 88 receptions for 1,084 yards and seven scores in eight games for the Trojans last year before suffering a fractured right ankle.

The primary issue is that the Falcons run the ball 60.1 percent of the time, the second-highest mark in the NFL, per Fantasy Football Today. Their 22 pass attempts per game are the second-fewest in football.

For context, the Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers throw the ball twice as often, leading the league.

The Falcons start dual-threat quarterback Marcus Mariota, who has rushed 60 times for 304 yards and three touchdowns. They tailor the offense around his strengths, and that means a run-first offense that's featured Patterson, Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley.

When Mariota was with the Tennessee Titans, they found success with a similar offense featuring Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray.

It would be hard to trust Pitts or London in any capacity moving forward for the sole reason that opportunities just haven't been there.

On the flip side, Patterson is a player to hang on to or try to trade for.

The jack of all trades had 1,166 total yards and 11 scores last year (153 rushes, 52 catches). He was the No. 1 runner and No. 3 receiver on the team.

The Falcons' 2021 MVP has done well this year too thanks to 421 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns in just five games. He's the No. 14 running back in fantasy points per game.

Given the Falcons' propensity to run the ball, Patterson should be heavily featured moving forward, making him a borderline RB1 in fantasy. Hold on to him for the stretch run if he's on your team. And if Patterson is available in your league, see if you can orchestrate a deal.