Player Profile - Desmond Ridder

Unknown to many in the hobby, Desmond Ridder is a Top 3 QB in the most recent rookie class. Granted, the Class of 2022 centered mainly around top-tier wide receivers but the QBs in this class are worth a second-glance. Ridder was chosen by the Falcons in the 3rd round of the NFL draft, preceded only by Kenny Pickett who was chosen by the Steelers in the first round. Both QBs have received rave reviews from their respective teams even though they did not perform to the highest standard their first year. Of the two, Ridder was perhaps not given a fair shot, which opens the door for profit to be made.

The Falcons rode with Marcus Mariota for way too long this past season. They only gave Ridder 4 games to show off his talent, two of which were against the toughest defenses in the league (Saints & Ravens). He went 2-2 as his record for the year and he did it without Kyle Pitts as a receiving option (due to Pitts being injured). With Pitts sidelined, Ridder had to turn to rookie WR Drake London for some much needed yardage. How well did the two connect?

With Ridder, London was targeted 36 times, catching 25 of them for 333 yards, 13.32 yards per catch. On average, he received six targets per game with Mariota as quarterback compared to nine targets with Ridder under center. Moreover, London had a 69.4% catch percentage with Ridder, compared to 58.7% with Mariota. So even with the limited weapons given to the young quarterback, he was more efficient than the veteran Mariota.

Next year will be a huge opportunity for Ridder to solidify his role as the team's starting QB. With weapons like Tyler Allgeier, Cordarrelle Patterson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London, Ridder is positioned for a strong 2023 season. But first he will have to get there. No quarterback is guaranteed a successful future without the support and praise of their team's coaches and owners. The highest praise has come the Falcons' owner who had this to say about Ridder:

“We're very excited about Desmond Ridder,” Blank said. “I think from the time he came into training camp, he showed great capabilities as a leader amongst the rookies and then amongst the vets.”

With such optimism around the young QB, the only drawback to his potential value comes from a blazing hot free agent QB off-season with the likes of Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett, and Taylor Heinicke becoming available. Lamar Jackson may even be traded by the Ravens. If Ridder is able to avoid the event of another starting QB getting picked up by the Falcons, then he is in a prime position to start the 2023 season. With this uncertainty still looming, Ridder's rookie cards will be a bargain for the coming weeks. And with the most desirable card sets yet to be released, there is a lot to look forward to if you have not started to collect this young QB!