Before going down in Week 14 with an abdominal injury, Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley was averaging 13.7 yards per reception, had roughly seven targets a game, and was torching corners left and right.
While often overshadowed by receiving mate Julio Jones, Ridley is quietly developing into a premier talent at receiver. He has incredibly polished routes, good burst, and open field speed, long strides that help him eat up ground, and when defenses focus on Julio Jones he can make them pay.
Ridley can struggle with physical corners and press-man at times but if you give him space or a clean release he is insanely tough to guard in the open field. He has great speed cuts, can snap off routes, and attacks the ball in the air.
The Falcons feel like the forgotten team in the NFC South with the arrival of Tom Brady in Tampa Bay but if you sleep on Ridley, you’re going to get burned.
With that being said, let’s take a look at why Calvin Ridley could be showcase No. 1 receiver potential with the Falcons in 2020.