Will Calvin Ridley Be Reinstated in 2023? Fantasy Football Outlook

Calvin Ridley was suspended by the NFL indefinitely on March 7, 2022, due to Ridley betting on NFL games during the 2021 season. At the time, Ridley was away from the team on the Falcons’ non-football illness list. Regardless, betting on games as a player is considered one of the most significant violations of league policy. 

Since sports gambling is new in a legal sense, there have not many high-profile cases of players in the NFL gambling. The most recent example was Josh Shaw, suspended for nearly 16 months after being caught betting on an NFL game. Shaw was suspended during the 2019 season and had to miss the entire 2020 season before being reinstated in 2021. With this case in mind, Ridley will likely be reinstated to begin the 2023 season with his new team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Ridley’s suspension went under the radar until the 2022 trade deadline, in which the Falcons traded Ridley to the Jaguars for two conditional draft picks. The maximum compensation the Falcons can receive for this trade would be a 2023 fifth-rounder and a 2024 second-rounder. However, the picks rising to this level will depend on when Ridley is reinstated and how productive he is. 

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Calvin Ridley 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook

Ridley got off to a great start in his NFL career after being drafted in 2018. He finished his rookie season with 10 touchdowns and 821 receiving yards. His breakout season came in 2020 when Ridley compiled 90 receptions for 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. 

Ridley would miss most of the 2021 season to focus on his mental health. Before the hiatus, Ridley was still a significant part of the Falcons' offense, receiving a 27.4% target share in the five games he played. 

His new team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, are fresh off a solid playoff run, including a 27-point comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2022 Wild Card round. They also featured an ascending passing attack led by Trevor Lawrence that finished 10th in the league in total passing. 

Ridley will join a wide receiver room featuring Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. This crowded room may limit Ridley’s overall production compared to his Atlanta days. However, if Evan Engram leaves the Jaguars in free agency, he will open up 98 targets on this offense. That would provide an opportunity for Ridley and make him valuable as a late-round pick for 2023 fantasy drafts. 

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