Falcons WR Calvin Ridley ranked No. 8 best rookie by PFF after 3 weeks

Some questioned the Falcons’ selection of Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley in the first round of the draft, but his production speaks for itself.

Last week against New Orleans, Ridley notched seven catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns. He now leads the team with four touchdowns after going without a catch in Week 1.

Pro Football Focus is rightfully high on Ridley, placing him as the eighth-best rookie in the league through three games.

Ridley currently ranks 16th among receivers with a 78.6 receiving grade and is fresh off an elite performance in Week 3 where he earned a 91.7 receiving grade in a game that saw him make three trips to the end zone. Ridley ranks 11th among all receivers with an average of 2.41 yards per route run – the next highest rookie in YPRR is Christian Kirk, who ranks 52nd with an average of 1.36 – and Matt Ryan has a near-perfect 154.9 passer rating when targeting the Falcons’ first-round pick.

Despite a 1-2 record, Ridley’s emergence is something to optimistic about going forward. It’s just too bad he can’t play safety.

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