Russell Gage, Hayden Hurst's Fantasy Outlook After Julio Jones' Injury

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones suffered a hamstring injury against the Green Bay Packers on Monday and was ruled out, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

That means the Falcons—and any fantasy managers who start him—are looking for alternate ways to grab points.

Calvin Ridley is the obvious next man up for Atlanta with three games of 100 or more yards to open the season. He's caught 21 of 35 targets for 349 yards and four touchdowns. He's 99 percent rostered in all Yahoo Leagues, so it's highly unlikely that he's still floating around. But if he's been on your bench in favor of another player, he's worth a look as he slides in as the Falcons' WR1 for the foreseeable future.

Third-year receiver Russell Gage is expected to slot in with Ridley, but he was forced out of the Falcons' Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears and was in the league's concussion protocol. In his absence, it was Olamide Zaccheaus who helped carry the load for Atlanta. He finished second only to Ridley in Week 3, grabbing four of his six targets for 41 yards.

Gage was back in the lineup Monday and should draw starting consideration if Jones is sidelined in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere on the field, tight end Hayden Hurst is waiting for his breakout moment in 2020, and with Matt Ryan in need of more options, it could come soon. He still isn't a strong candidate to start in anyone's fantasy lineups but is worth watching to see if he can produce with his team in need.

In a pass-happy offense, not much will change up front with Ridley healthy and a smattering of other options for Ryan. But fantasy managers should keep an eye on the development of Zaccheaus and Hurst, who could factor into the Falcons' success down the line.