Falcons officially rule Julio Jones out for Week 16 clash with Chiefs, star WR to miss third consecutive game

Jones has dealt with a lingering hamstring injury for most of the season

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is set to miss his third consecutive game. The Falcons ruled out their star wideout in their Friday injury report. Jones did not practice this week, still dealing with the effects of a lingering hamstring injury.

Jones has played in only nine games this season. He missed the Falcons' Week 3 and 5 games, and left the Week 4 game early due to the hamstring issue as well. He has been productive when on the field (51 catches for 771 yards and three touchdowns) but has simply been unable to stay fully healthy throughout the year. 

In his absence, the Falcons have given increased roles to Russell Gage, Brandon Powell, Christian Blake, and Olamide Zaccheus. Gage has moved into the No. 2 role behind Calvin Ridley, while the other three players have mostly rotated through, with some getting more action than others week to week. Atlanta has largely struggled without Jones on the field, though the defense deserves its fair share of blame for the team's 4-9 record. 

With the Chiefs and Buccaneers left on their schedule, Atlanta is looking at two more tough matchups, and with Jones having already sat three in a row, it seems somewhat unlikely that the Falcons would bring him back for the regular season finale. There will be some changes coming to the organization this offseason as they look to replace deposed general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn, but Jones should remain an integral part of the team as they look to rebuild over the next few years.