Atlanta Falcons News

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London suffered a PCL strain in his left knee in Week 11 of the 2025 season, which caused him to miss time down the stretch. Even still, the 24-year-old put together a productive season, hauling in 68 receptions for 919 yards and seven touchdowns on 112 targets across 12 games. When healthy, London has established himself as a true lead pass-catcher in the NFL. London has averaged 9.3 targets per game over the last two seasons and should dominate targets in Atlanta once again in 2026. The quarterback situation in Atlanta remains a limiting factor for London, as neither Michael Penix Jr. (knee) nor Tua Tagovailoa should inspire much confidence in fantasy managers. Still, London has proven to be a reliable fantasy wideout in Atlanta despite the organization's inability to land on a franchise quarterback since trading away Matt Ryan after London's rookie year. In dynasty formats, London profiles as a mid-tier WR1 heading into his age-25 campaign.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. officially signed his $15.045 million franchise tender on Thursday, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Pitts is locked into a sixth season with the Falcons, but the team's brass may want to see another strong season in 2026 before getting serious about signing him to a long-term extension. The 25-year-old former fourth overall pick in 2021 out of the University of Florida looked legitimate in his first year in the NFL, when he posted a 68-1,026-1 line on 110 targets over 17 games. However, He combined for just nine touchdowns and didn't exceed 667 receiving yards or 53 receptions in his next three seasons from 2022 to 2024. Pitts finally broke out again for fantasy managers in 2025, securing 88 receptions on 118 targets for 928 yards and five touchdowns in 17 starts in a career year. Can he do it again? Well, it's a major question mark, especially with Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. (knee) set to compete for the starting QB job this summer. He should still be considered a TE1 in fantasy in 2026, but fantasy managers shouldn't reach for him as an elite TE1. Right now, RotoBaller has Pitts ranked as the No. 8 option at his position.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has the potential to be a short-term option in fantasy football, but he lacks long-term upside in dynasty leagues. Tagovailoa signed with the Falcons this offseason after being released by the Miami Dolphins. He may open the 2026 season as Atlanta's starter since Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is still recovering from his torn ACL, but the job belongs to Penix when he's healthy. Recent comments from president of football Matt Ryan seem to indicate that Penix's recovery is either on schedule or behind schedule, so Tagovailoa could be a QB2 option through the first few weeks of the season. Once Penix returns, though, Tagovailoa will head to the bench, where he'll face an uphill battle to reclaim any starting role, at least as long as he remains in Atlanta. He was the QB9 in 2023, but he's coming off a disastrous 2025 campaign in which he threw for 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson Jr. represents an intriguing dynasty target this offseason. Not only is he a top handcuff running back behind Brian Robinson, but he could also have some standalone value given the Falcons' tendency to use multiple running backs. Atlanta brought in Robinson to replace Tyler Allgeier. While we don't typically think of Robinson as a big pass-catching threat, he is averaging more than 1.25 receptions per game throughout his career, and he had 36 catches across 15 games in 2023 alone. He won't necessarily steal a ton of receiving work from Bijan Robinson, who is an incredible receiver, too. However, Brian Robinson Jr.'s versatility at least gives him a chance to rotate in on a wide variety of downs, not just third. Whatever his role ends up being, it's far more appealing than last season in San Francisco, where he barely touched the ball behind Christian McCaffrey. Robinson remains a top handcuff, and he could even have some standalone RB3/flex value if he vultures some of Bijan Robinson's touches early in the season.

Atlanta Falcons president of football Matt Ryan acknowledged on 680 The Fan that "you just don't know" where quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is "going to be" for the start of training camp in late July. However, Ryan is confident with how Penix has approached his rehab after tearing his ACL in 2025. "Mike's in a good spot right now. As far as expectations, we don't really know what to expect at the beginning of training camp," Ryan said. The Falcons don't plan to rush Penix back to the field, which could give new QB Tua Tagovailoa a leg up in the competition for the starting job under center in Atlanta going into Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Penix's dynasty stock is dropping quickly after he had surgery for another torn ACL in his knee back in November. It's the third time since college that he's suffered a torn ACL. The 25-year-old lefty signal-caller was mediocre before his injury in his first full year as the Falcons' starter, completing 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions in nine starts. Penix will need to get healthy first, and then he'll need to improve his accuracy to have a chance to beat Tua out. It's looking more likely that Penix is going to enter the start of next season as Atlanta's backup.

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has posted fantasy finishes of RB9, RB4, and RB3 through his first three seasons, and it's possible he's yet to reach his true ceiling. As a rookie under head coach Arthur Smith, Robinson ceded meaningful touches to a capable backup in Tyler Allgeier. In years two and three, under the defensive-minded Raheem Morris, Robinson's usage spiked, particularly in the passing game, but Allgeier still averaged 153.5 touches. With Allgeier out the door in free agency, he's been replaced by Brian Robinson Jr., who handled only 92 carries in 2025 as the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey. And with new head coach Kevin Stefanski coming from Cleveland, where Nick Chubb would routinely see 25 opportunities per game in his prime, things could be shaping up for the incumbent Robinson to take yet another leap on his superstar trajectory. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB1, he's nearly impossible to acquire via trade, but managers lucky enough to roster the 24-year-old Robinson should still enjoy several more seasons of league-winning production.

The Atlanta Falcons selected University of Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch with the 79th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft on Friday night. Branch can fly, has plenty of after-the-catch ability and explosiveness, and he should also factor in on special teams as a punt/kick returner. Branch spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at USC before playing for Georgia in 2025, where he caught an SEC-high 81 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games played. The 5-foot-9, 177-pounder is an absolute burner with elite speed and acceleration. He clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in February. His game-changing speed will give him plenty of upside in dynasty fantasy leagues, and he could have a pretty big role in his first year in the NFL in Atlanta behind Drake London. The biggest concerns about Branch at the next level are his lack of size and his limited route tree.

The NFL says it has been "closely monitoring all developments" in the matter surrounding Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr., according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. On Thursday, Pearce entered into a six-month pre-trial intervention program that will result in all charges being dismissed if all conditions are met, according to attorneys Jacob Nunez and Yale Sanford. It would result in no jail time for Pearc and no admission of guilt. The 22-year-old was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person, but this deal could clear Pearce of all charges. Even though Pearce won't be charged with any crimes if he follows through with the intervention program, it doesn't mean the NFL won't suspend him at some point during the 2026 season. After being taken late in the first round last year out of Tennessee, Pearce had 26 tackles (17 solo), 10.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 16 QB hits, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 17 games for Atlanta in his first year in the NFL in 2025.

There is a possibility that the Atlanta Falcons trade tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. during the 2026 NFL draft this week, according to John Breech of CBS Sports. New Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham already admitted that the team will listen to offers for Pitts and other players. Breech thinks that if Atlanta is serious about trading Pitts, the Kansas City Chiefs should give them a call as they look to grab their next TE for life after Travis Kelce. KC currently has two first-round picks in this year's draft, and they would likely be able to get a deal done for Pitts by giving the Falcons one of those first-rounders. The Falcons don't have a first-round pick this year (and have only five total picks in the draft), and if they trade Pitts away, they'd free up $15 million in salary cap space for this season. Pitts finally broke out for fantasy managers in 2025 and was the TE2 overall in half-PPR scoring with 88 catches, 928 yards, and five touchdowns in 17 games. A move to KC would be attractive in the long-term, but with Kelce still around for another season, it would seriously hurt Pitts' 2026 redraft value.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London ran into some injury issues with his knee that caused him to miss time down the stretch of the 2025 season. Still, the 24-year-old was highly productive across the 12 games he was active for, recording 68 receptions for 919 yards and seven touchdowns on a whopping 112 targets. London is averaging 9.3 targets per game over the past two seasons and profiles as the clear number one pass-catcher in Atlanta once again in 2026. However, the Falcons' ongoing issues at the quarterback position continue to limit London's upside. Atlanta QB Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is coming off a torn ACL and was largely ineffective when healthy in 2025, throwing for 1,982 yards and nine touchdowns across nine games. The Falcons signed veteran signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa in free agency, but the 28-year-old threw 15 interceptions and averaged under seven yards per pass attempt across 14 games with the Miami Dolphins in 2025. London remains a dynasty WR1, but he may struggle to realize his full potential until the Falcons solve the quarterback position.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) has made 12 starts in his young career, beginning his rookie season behind veteran Kirk Cousins before taking over in Week 16. Year two began with the roles reversed, until Penix tore his ACL in Week 11, his fifth season-ending injury and third ACL tear dating back to his college days. Across nearly a full year of professional starts, the eighth overall pick from the 2024 Draft has gone 4-8, throwing for 2,757 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. While Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix from the same draft class have all shown signs or outright proof that they can be franchise cornerstones, the outlook is still unclear on Penix. While he has a chance to be ready for the start of the 2026 season, the Falcons brought in a new coaching staff and signed former Dolphin Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year deal. Their camp battle will be one to watch, as both players are essentially fighting for their future in the league, and if neither player impresses in the first year of the new regime, it would surprise nobody if the franchise explored new options in what currently projects to be a loaded 2027 draft class. Penix will be 26 by the start of his third season and sits at QB26 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, eight spots higher than Tagovailoa.

Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa signed a one-year deal with Atlanta after being released by the Miami Dolphins, and he is now in a position to compete with 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. for the team's starting job. Penix, whose professional and collegiate career has largely been defined by injury, suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 11, but there are exceptions that he could return by the start of training camp. Tagovailoa, no stranger to injury himself, has missed a total of 17 games since taking over as a starter in 2020, and in the wake of a number of career-threatening concussion scares, his fantasy production has seen a significant decline over the past two seasons. Since posting 16.7 points per game in a career-best QB9 finish in 2023, he's fallen to an 11.8-point pace across his last 25 starts. New head coach Kevin Stefanski has not seen a quarterback finish higher than QB25 in his run-heavy West Coast offense since Baker Mayfield in 2020, so even if Tagovailoa should win the job cleanly out of camp, his ceiling remains low, and with two years of guaranteed money remaining on Penix's rookie contract, the team could look for the first opportunity to work him back into the starting lineup. Tagovailoa is RotoBaller's dynasty QB34, though after six seasons as a starter, anything hinting toward a backup path would see that ranking tumble precipitously.

Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson Jr. spent his 2025 season in San Francisco as the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey. While it didn't work out for Robinson's fantasy managers, NFL fans in general were fortunate to see McCaffrey play a full 17-game slate, and Robinson ended the year with career lows of 400 yards and two touchdowns on only 92 carries. He has now signed a one-year deal with Atlanta to back up another of the league's premier backs in Bijan Robinson. While the latter Robinson has not missed a start through his first three seasons in the league, his versatility has allowed for a unique opportunity to have two backs on the field at once. Twice in his career, he has lined up for more than 150 snaps at wide receiver, and his previous backup, Tyler Allgeier, averaged more than 10 touches per game across their three seasons together. The Falcons do welcome a new staff, with head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees leaving behind a Cleveland team that tended to lean heavily on one back when given the opportunity. However, neither has ever coached a player with Robinson's skillset, and they would be wise to take advantage, leading to a safe enough floor for Robinson Jr. to hold standalone value on top of being a must-roster insurance back.

The Atlanta Falcons officially picked up running back Bijan Robinson's fifth-year option on Friday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The move will give the Falcons more time to negotiate a deal with the star RB. The 24-year-old has been a Pro Bowler each of the last two seasons, and he had his second straight 1,400-yard rushing season with seven rushing touchdowns on 287 carries in 17 games in 2025 in his third year in the NFL. Robinson also added a career-high 79 receptions on 103 targets for 820 yards and another four scores through the air as a receiver. The former eighth overall pick in the 2023 draft out of the University of Texas is the real deal and a true workhorse for fantasy managers. He finished as the RB3 in 2025 in half-PPR scoring, behind only Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Taylor. Even though the Falcons have a dicey QB competition this summer between the injured Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and Tua Tagovailoa, Robinson should have a very high floor because of the heavy volume he should receive. He figures to be a popular choice for the first overall fantasy pick this fall.

Since being selected eighth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has looked like one of the most talented backs in the league. In 2025, that talent translated through his usage and fantasy finish, ending the year as RB2 in PPR formats. His 79 receptions for 820 yards trailed only Christian McCaffrey among NFL backs, while his 858 yards after the catch led the league across all positions. On the strength of his 99 targets in the passing game, he topped 380 opportunities for the second straight year. New head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees arrive from Cleveland, where Nick Chubb was the clear focal point of Stefanski's early Browns offenses. Former Falcon Tyler Allgeier, who has averaged over 172 opportunities of his own in the three years he shared a backfield with Robinson, has been replaced by Brian Robinson Jr., who handled exactly 100 touches as the primary backup to McCaffrey in San Francisco last season. The former Robinson is still only 24 years old and has yet to miss a game in his professional career. Barring injury, he should continue to rank among the fantasy elite for the foreseeable future.

Atlanta Falcons starting right tackle Kaleb McGary (leg) has decided to retire after seven years in the NFL, agent Collin Roberts told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound lineman was Atlanta's first-round pick back in 2019. He started 92 of his 93 career games, but he missed all of the 2025 season due to a serious lower left leg injury that he suffered during training camp last summer. As a result, his final NFL snaps came in 2024, when he started 16 games with a 73.8 PFF grade. He was particularly productive in run blocking, where his grade of 77.6 ranked 17th-best among 81 eligible tackles. Retiring after just seven years (and six active seasons) is a bit early for a lineman, but his future in the NFL looked complicated due to the serious leg injury and his ongoing recovery. Going forward, he'll be replaced at right tackle by Jawaan Taylor, whom the Falcons signed to a one-year deal on Wednesday.

The Atlanta Falcons have signed free agent offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor to a one-year deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The contract includes a base value of $5 million and an additional $1 million available in incentives. Taylor previously spent four seasons in Jacksonville and three seasons in Kansas City. He has started all 111 games in which he has appeared, including a dozen contests in 2025. Although he's a household name, the 28-year-old didn't deliver the greatest production last year. His 53.3 PFF grade ranked 10th-worst among tackles, and his 43.8 run blocking grade was second-worst. He was also flagged for 13 penalties, and he surrendered 20 pressures, five quarterback hits, and three sacks. Despite an iffy season, Taylor projects as a starting tackle in Atlanta, where he'll fill the void left by the retirement of starting right tackle Kaleb McGary.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. is signing his franchise tag and will be present for the start of the team's offseason program this week, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Pitts and the Falcons can still negotiate a long-term deal until the deadline in mid-July, but he's now locked into his $15.045 million fully guaranteed one-year deal on the franchise tag for the 2026 season. The 25-year-old finally delivered for fantasy managers in 2025 after teasing everyone with a 1,000-yard season as a rookie. In 17 starts last year, the former fourth overall pick in 2021 out of the University of Florida caught 88 of his 118 targets for 928 yards and five touchdowns. He was especially productive down the stretch when it mattered the most for his fantasy managers. Although Pitts' fantasy stock is on the rise after his big season, there is still plenty of volatility with Atlanta's quarterback picture unsettled between the injured Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and Tua Tagovailoa.

Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham isn't ruling out the possibility of trading tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., who is currently set to play the 2026 season on the franchise tag, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. "It's my job as the general manager to do what's best for the organization," Cunningham said. "Kyle is a great player. We've seen his skill set. Also, it's my job to listen. We're excited to have Kyle. We're excited for his future." Pitts finally broke out for his fantasy managers in 2025, catching 88 of his 118 targets for 928 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 17 starts in his fifth year in the NFL to finish as the TE2, behind only Trey McBride, in half-PPR scoring. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues must be careful not to overvalue Pitts, though, as new head coach Kevin Stefanski "will explore" using multi-tight-end sets with Pitts, Austin Hooper, and Charlie Woerner all on the field together. The 25-year-old has clear high-end TE1 upside, but if he stays in Atlanta, he could quickly disappoint fantasy managers again, especially with a potential shift to new quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said extension thoughts about wide receiver Drake London are "on top of mind," according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. But right now, the Falcons are focusing on free agency and then the 2026 draft. Cunningham said that extensions for both London and star running back Bijan Robinson likely won't be focused on until after April's draft. The 24-year-old former eighth overall pick in 2022 out of USC is heading into the final year of his rookie deal and deserves a big raise after hauling in 309 catches for 3,961 yards and 22 touchdowns on 497 targets in his first four years in the league. London had a 68-919-7 line in a career-low 12 regular-season games in 2025 due to a knee issue. He was still a top-20 fantasy wideout despite missing five games. Going into 2026, London's fantasy value will carry slightly more risk with Tua Tagovailoa potentially becoming the Falcons' starting signal-caller over Michael Penix Jr. (knee), who is recovering from a torn ACL.