Falcons offensive 'triplets' are ranked a little better than the defensive ones

ESPN's Bill Barnwell ranked the offensive 'triplets,' the three players he expects to have the most impact for each team this season, and the Falcons landed in the top 10.

It's not really a surprise. Matt Ryan, though mistake-prone last season, typically puts up top-10-caliber passing statistics, or close to it, each season. Julio Jones is arguably the best receiver in the NFL, and rounding out Barnwell's choices for Atlanta's 'triplets' was Devonta Freeman, who earned a Pro Bowl nod for his performance last season.

Barnwell also rightfully points out Ryan's evident discomfort last season. Hopefully another offseason in Shanahan's system as well as having a capable center anchoring the line will help. Freeman's productivity also dipped after his first few games, due in part to really poor blocking and the offense just kind of generally falling apart.

Elsewhere in the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers outranked the Falcons, with the Super Bowl 50 losers ranked by Barnwell at No. 4. The New Orleans Saints came in at No. 10 on Barnwell's list, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came in at No. 12.

Your thoughts on Barnwell's rankings? What do you expect from the Falcons offense this season?