:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71726143/1434540370.0.jpg "Desmond Ridder to start in Week 15: Falcons bench Marcus Mariota, turn to rookie QB vs. Saints")
The Atlanta Falcons are making a change after their Week 14 bye and moving on to rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder over incumbent Marcus Mariota, per Ian Rapoport. This is a change many fans and pundits have been calling for and now it is here.
The Falcons have been a resilient team. They've stayed in the race for NFC South, but that's not saying all that much, as the Buccaneers lead the division with a 6-6 record. The Falcons remain in second place in the division with a 5-8 record, but are also 1-3 in the division and show no real hope of doing anything in the playoffs if they could somehow make it there.
Bringing in Ridder feels like a move for the future, but who's to say he can't give the Falcons a better chance to win? Mariota has been inaccurate and turnover prone in his 13 starts. He gave the team a chance to win at times, but also held them back more often than not.
Fantasy football impact
We really don't know what we have in Ridder yet. The good news is that the team isn't losing rushing talent at the position, as Ridder ran for over 2,000 yards and 28 touchdowns in college. If they let him run, he could have fantasy upside early on.