Julio Jones Injury: Why Matt Ryan Is a Terrible Fantasy Football Bet

The Atlanta Falcons have declared rookie wide receiver Julio Jones inactive for today's game against the Detroit Lions, further damaging quarterback Matt Ryan's fantasy prospects. 

Ryan has been a disappointment this season, as has the entire Falcons offense. The unit ranks 20th in the NFL in total yardage, averaging 336.2 yards per game. That's pretty terrible when you consider the embarrassment of weapons at Ryan's disposal. 

With Jones out, the quarterback's options will be cut down and he will have to rely on receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez to catch everything thrown their way. Running back Michael Turner will also have to get things going to help the Falcons against one of the league's best defensive lines.

Through six games, Ryan has completed 134 of 218 passes (61.5 percent) for 1,465 yards, with eight touchdowns and six interceptions. He has a quarterback rating of 82.1 and has also fumbled three times. He simply needs to be better than that.

A lot was expected of Ryan and the Falcons this season, and they have not lived up to those lofty expectations. Against a Detroit defense that ranks sixth in the NFL against the pass, allowing just 205.5 yards per game, don't expect the Boston College product to have a big game.

If you invested a high fantasy draft pick in Ryan, I feel bad for you. Hopefully you were wise enough to snag yourself a solid backup, because it's probably best to sit Ryan this week. The Lions will be at home and coming off their first loss of the season, and their defense will be looking to make a point against the Falcons.

Ryan should be sitting this week if you've got another option. Until he proves that he can get the ball to all of his weapons and be more consistent under center, it might be best to look elsewhere for points at the quarterback position.