Fascinating players to watch in Falcons vs. Seahawks

The Atlanta Falcons look to extend their winning streak in their Week 7 game against the Seattle Seahawks. Of course, there are plenty of interesting players who might be worth mentioning ahead of Sunday's game, but it's practically a divine law that no more than five Falcons can be named for a game.

With that in mind, here are the five most intriguing.

Jessie Bates

Jessie Bates, the opportunistic All-Pro safety, has another opportunity to build his legacy this weekend against the Seahawks. The Falcons will likely continue to employ a bend-but-don't-break style of defense, which could be frustrating for Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.

Grubb is known for his offense's desire to push the ball down the field, as evidenced by his history with the Falcons' backup quarterback Michael Penix at the University of Washington. If Grubb can't stay patient and take the short passes the Falcons' defense will inevitably throw at him, Bates could be poised to take advantage of a greedy pass from Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, leading to a critical turnover.

Matthew Judon

Falcons outside linebacker Matthew Judon has another exciting matchup at right tackle for the Seahawks. After previous injuries to Abraham Lucas and George Fant, the Seahawks already had their third option at that spot in Stone Forsythe, and with Forsythe out with a hand injury, it will be rookie Michael Jerrell as the fourth option.

The expectation is that Judon, who hasn't had a sack since Week 2, should make his presence known and welcome the rookie to the NFL.

Drake London

Another Falcon who should benefit from a favorable matchup due to injuries is wide receiver Drake London. The Seahawks lost two starters at cornerback in Tre Brown and Riq Woolen, potentially forcing them to use Coby Bryant at nickel cornerback this weekend. Bryant was inconsistent in that role in his previous two seasons in Seattle.

Despite being primarily an outside receiver, London has been extremely productive out of the slot in recent weeks. After a quiet Week 1, London has since spent 41 percent of his snaps working outside the slot, according to PFF. Still, 58 percent of his catches and 67 percent of his yards during that span came from the slot, suggesting the Falcons are heavily emphasizing London whenever he moves inside. Expect that to continue this Sunday against the Seahawks.

Dee Alford

While the Falcons' slot receiver is a standout weapon in their offense, the Seahawks are no different. Second-year slot receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been Seattle's most consistent receiver on throws under 15 yards, which the Falcons have given up more than any other NFL team this year.

Expect Smith-Njigba to feature frequently this week as well, which will mean a significant workload for Falcons slot cornerback Dee Alford. Alford's play has been up and down this year and he will need one of his better performances to slow down Seattle's rushing passing attack.

Kyle Pitts

Once again, the Falcons face an opponent vulnerable to the tight end. According to FTN Fantasy, the Seahawks rank 27th in DVOA for tight ends allowed and 29th in yards allowed. With the Seahawks' starting safety Rayshawn Jenkins, the defensive lineman primarily responsible for covering opposing tight ends, lost, another great opportunity presents itself for Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.

Sunday isn't the first time Pitts has had a favorable game against a defense vulnerable to tight ends, and none of those previous outings resulted in high production or targets. But the Falcons have done a better job of late maximizing Pitts' limited opportunities with some explosive plays on the field. There could be a few more opportunities for impactful plays on the field against this struggling Seahawks secondary.

Can you name any other Falcons players that intrigue you in this Seahawks matchup? Sound off in the comments.