Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III caught the most passes of any Falcon receiver in Sunday's 38-6 loss to the Broncos, hauling in all six of his targets for 46 scoreless yards. McCloud recorded two consecutive six-catch games in Weeks 4 and 5, but caught no more than three passes or surpassed 30 yards receiving in five straight contests coming into Sunday. With just one touchdown on the season, he's not a great fantasy option unless you're in a deep PPR league, however, Darnell Mooney went down with a hamstring injury during Sunday's contest and if he were to miss time, then McCloud could see a small increase in production. The Falcons have a bye in Week 12, so Mooney has time to recover, and McCloud figures to be a WR5 come Week 13.
Nov 18, 2024 12:26 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III wasn't very involved in the 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He ended with four targets which tied for fourth-most on the team with Bijan Robinson. Those turned into three receptions for 30 yards and he even received one carry which went for six yards. Drake London and Darnell Mooney were the undisputed top pass-catchers for Kirk Cousins in this matchup while McCloud couldn't find much open space. He'll try to get more involved against a tougher defense in the Denver Broncos in Week 11.
Nov 11, 2024 9:17 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III reeled in all three of his targets in Sunday's 27-21 win over the Cowboys, gaining 28 yards and scoring his first touchdown of the season. The 28-year-old added one rush attempt for seven yards. While the touchdown saved his fantasy day, he's averaged just 3.5 targets per game over the last four contests after averaging nearly six targets per game over the first five. Unfortunately, teammate Drake London was injured on Sunday, but if he were to miss time that could lead to a couple more targets for McCloud. The other thing working in his favor is that the Falcons take on the Saints in Week 10, the team who the Clemson product saw earlier this season, catching six passes for 52 yards in that matchup. All that being said and even though the Saints have been a favorable defense for opposing wide receivers, McCloud is still likely not a preferred fantasy option in Week 10.
Nov 3, 2024 9:15 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III saw his stats take a dip during last week's matchup against the Carolina Panthers. McCloud finished with a season-high 66 yards in Week 5, but was only able to haul in three receptions for 30 yards last week. He remains third or even fourth on the pecking order, which doesn't guarantee solid weekly value. McCloud should still see a handful of targets as he has been thrown to five times or more in four of his first six games this season. Fantasy managers should consider McCloud a low-end flex option for Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Oct 20, 2024 10:36 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III corralled six passes for the second consecutive game in last week's clash with Tampa Bay, and in Week 6 he's gifted the Carolina defense that has allowed a league-high 11 scores through the air. McCloud is Atlanta's No. 3 wideout and registers just a 7.5 aDOT but has managed to turn his looks into 229 yards receiving, which is more than higher-rostered players like Courtland Sutton (224) and Amari Cooper (208). The 27-year-old has yet to find the endzone, which limits his production, but he is also somewhat involved in the run game (two rushes for 23 yards), and the Panthers are charitable on the ground as well. The Clemson product can also provide points in the kick return game for leagues that reward those stats. The five-foot-nine receiver should be viewed as a FLEX option this week with WR3 upside, especially in PPR formats.
Oct 12, 2024 10:06 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (ankle) logged a full practice on Wednesday and does not carry an injury designation ahead of Thursday's tilt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McCloud was a limited participant on Monday and Tuesday due to an ankle injury but was able to practice in full on Wednesday, suggesting the injury was minor. Last week, McCloud caught a season-high six passes for 52 yards and ran a season-high 31 routes. Fantasy managers should view the 27-year-old as a WR3 with upside, as he has begun to have a significant role in the Atlanta passing attack. DFS players should consider using McCloud as a flex play, as he should be on the field quite often.
Oct 2, 2024 4:06 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (ankle) was limited in practice on Tuesday. His participation in practice signals that he should be on track to play in Thursday night's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McCloud has been a steady contributor for the Falcons in 2024. He has caught 15 passes for 163 yards while working alongside Darnell Mooney and Drake London. Due to the lack of excitement around him, McCloud is currently on a lot of waiver wires. He has been a solid player in PPR formats and should be rostered in case his role with the offense grows or he manages to start scoring more touchdowns. The Buccaneers are 10th in the NFL against opposing wide receivers in fantasy in 2024. As such, this matchup is not ideal but it is not terrible. Should McCloud be active in this game, he should at least deliver flex value for your fantasy team.
Oct 1, 2024 6:23 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (ankle) was limited during Monday's practice session. It's worth noting that Monday's practice was an estimation and the team didn't have an official practice. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned over the status of McCloud right now. The Falcons have a quick turn around with a matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday. The next two days will give a better idea surrounding the availability of McCloud. He's coming off a 6-catch game for 52 yards in Week 4, so it appears like McCloud's value is on the rise.
Sep 30, 2024 9:38 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III received the second-most targets on the team in this two-point win over the New Orleans Saints. McCloud has now accrued 22 targets through the team's first four games which is already seven more than he had all last season, and just three shy of his second-best season. He turned seven targets against the Saints into six receptions for 52 yards but didn't make it into the end zone. McCloud has been a quality outlet for Kirk Cousins but it hasn't turned into fantasy success just yet. His upside is limited as long as Darnell Mooney and Drake London are still on the field, but McCloud could provide some scoring in deeper leagues with PPR scoring. He'll go up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a short week in Week 5.
Sep 30, 2024 9:25 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III will look to continue his modest production when the team squares off against the Kansas City Chiefs in a Sunday night home tilt. The sixth-year veteran has been more involved in Atlanta's offense than initially anticipated in 2024. He's recorded the third-most snaps of any Falcons wideout (91) -- behind Drake London and Darnell Mooney -- and leads all Atlanta pass-catchers with 12 targets. McCloud is also just nine yards behind Mooney in receiving yardage for the team lead (94). The 27-year-old is unlikely to continue leading the team in such categories as the season churns on. However, he should remain involved and will become a more intriguing option in deeper leagues as Kirk Cousins continues to shake off the rust and recovers from his 2023 Achilles injury. The Falcons will have their work cut out for them this week against a tough Chiefs defense, but McCloud looks like a decent WR4 for now.
Sep 21, 2024 10:10 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III racked up five targets in Week 2 against the Eagles and caught three passes for 42 yards. McCloud was behind fellow receivers Drake London and Darnell Mooney (seven targets each) in the pecking order in this game but he remained fairly involved in the game plan for the second straight week. He added one rush for three yards as the Falcons looked for ways to get McCloud the football in space. With London and Mooney looking good and each catching a TD pass, it remains to be seen how valuable McCloud will be in this offense this season. But the first two weeks are somewhat encouraging.
Sep 17, 2024 9:15 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III is an intriguing option ahead of the team's Week 2 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. McCloud hauled in 4-of-7 targets for 56 yards in last Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, with an additional 56 yards on two kickoff returns. The 27-year-old wideout played the fourth-fewest snaps of any Falcons skill player in Week 1 while recording a target on an impressive 46.7% of his routes. He also registered an other-worldly 3.47 yards per route run. It will be tough to trust him moving forward with Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson to compete with for targets. However, McCloud will be a player to monitor in the coming weeks. His work in the return game and high YPRR make him an exciting player to watch. Aside from the Falcons' superstars, there isn't much regarding depth aside from wide receiver Darnell Mooney.
Sep 14, 2024 10:08 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III was the leading receiver on Sunday in the team's season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 28-year-old finished the game with four receptions for 52 yards on seven targets while returning two kicks for a total of 56 yards. McCloud is usually the return specialist and sees minimal work in the passing game as his stats show over the last six seasons. He only saw 15 targets throughout all of last season with the San Francisco 49ers. The offense struggled mightily in their first game against a determined TJ Watt and company, especially with this being Kirk Cousins' first game back from injury. McCloud likely won't remain the team's top receiver but could be worth a flyer in very deep leagues moving forward.
Sep 9, 2024 9:00 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud clearly has the starting slot job right now over Rondale Moore. McCloud had 90 catches in six seasons before signing with the Falcons as a free agent this offseason, while Moore had 135 catches in three years when Atlanta acquired him in a trade for quarterback Desmond Ridder. "I have the ultimate confidence in him," wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard said of McCloud. "I think he's going to be really good for our football team." Moore has made some big plays in camp with the second-team offense but has struggled with consistency. The 27-year-old McCloud has mostly been a special-teams asset in his time in the NFL, but he could have a bigger role in the new-look Falcons offense in 2024. For now, he's just a name to monitor as fantasy drafts approach this fall.
Aug 5, 2024 1:14 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III was spotted working with the first-team offense on Monday. McCloud is currently listed as the No. 3 wide receiver on the Falcons' depth chart. Throughout his career, McCloud has primarily served as a depth piece and special teamer. In 2023, he caught 12 passes for 135 yards and no touchdowns. His career high is 277 yards, and he only has two touchdowns from scrimmage in his career nevertheless, the Falcons' offense projects to be very high-powered. If McCloud sees a significant snap share, he could be a solid bench target in deep leagues. He should have solid PPR flex value if he ultimately wins the slot receiver role. This development may also suggest what the Falcons think of Rondale Moore. Currently, Moore projects to be the No. 4 wide receiver on this depth chart.
Jul 29, 2024 6:42 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud signed with the team this offseason, but he largely went unnoticed since the Falcons had a busy offseason of new acquisitions. However, ESPN Falcons reporter Marc Raimondi said McCloud could be more involved in the offense than expected. "Most figured McCloud, a veteran going into his seventh year, would make his mark primarily as a return man," Raimondi said. "But he also got reps with Atlanta's first team this spring and performed well, catching passes from Cousins for big plays. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson figures to use many wide receivers. McCloud will be in that mix." The 27-year-old has just 768 receiving yards and one touchdown through his first 77 games, so it's tough to get too excited about him. However, this report should at least put him on the fantasy radar in deep leagues.
Jun 25, 2024 4:09 PM EST
The Atlanta Falcons signed free-agent veteran wide receiver and returner Ray-Ray McCloud to a two-year deal worth up to $6 million on Thursday, according to a source. The Falcons have added McCloud and Darnell Mooney through free agency this week and Rondale Moore via trade to give the team much better speed and receiving depth behind No. 1 wideout Drake London. McCloud, 27, is known more for his returning skills on special teams and has just 90 receptions (134 targets) for 767 receiving yards and one touchdown in his six years in the NFL with the Niners, Bills, Panthers and Steelers. Buffalo's former sixth-round pick in 2018 out of Clemson will compete for a depth role at the receiver position in Atlanta this summer while also being a candidate to return kicks. He's off the fantasy radar.
Mar 14, 2024 6:26 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers wide receivers Ray-Ray McCloud III (rib), Jauan Jennings (concussion) and Danny Gray (shoulder) are all questionable to play in the Week 18 regular season finale on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. Both the 49ers and Rams will be rested a lot of their regulars in this meaningless contest, so all three of McCloud, Jennings and Gray could see substantial offensive snaps on Sunday if they are active. The Niners will have to activate McCloud from Injured Reserve if they want him playing this weekend. The 27-year-old hasn't been active since Week 12. McCloud mostly works on special teams. Jennings has missed the last two games and has served as the No. 3 behind Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk for most of the year. Jennings would have the most appeal as a bargain-bin deep DFS sleeper this weekend if he's active, but fantasy managers would probably be wise to avoid San Fran's offense altogether this week.
Jan 6, 2024 12:21 PM EST
The San Francisco 49ers opened the 21-day practice window for wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (ribs) to return from Injured Reserve on Wednesday and he was a full participant in practice. McCloud initially landed on Injured Reserve on Dec. 9. The 49ers now have 21 days to decide whether to officially activate the 27-year-old pass-catcher from IR. They won't be in any rush, as they'll have a first-round bye in the wild-card round of the playoffs next week before returning to action in the Divisional Round. San Fran also plays the Los Angeles Rams in a meaningless Week 18 game this Sunday, so it's possible McCloud could return for that. Even if he plays this weekend, McCloud won't be an option in fantasy lineups, as he's caught only nine passes for 113 yards and no touchdowns in 11 games this year.
Jan 4, 2024 12:11 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (ribs) has been placed on the injured reserve on Saturday. This comes after McCloud was already declared out for the upcoming Week 14 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. The 27-year-old hasn't made much of an impact this season. He has nine receptions for 113 yards and zero touchdowns this season. In his absence, wideout Chris Conley will replace him on the active roster. The 49ers are fairly healthy right now, so Conley won't be worth a look as a streaming option this weekend.
Dec 9, 2023 6:47 PM EST