Atlanta Falcons News

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.

Atlanta Falcons new head coach Kevin Stefanski said that the team isn't going to rush quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s (knee) rehab from a torn ACL that he suffered last season, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. The Falcons aren't putting a timetable on Penix this offseason after his season-ending knee injury in Week 11 of 2025. However, there have been reports that Penix is expected to be ready to return to action at some point in training camp this summer. By then, it could be too late for the former first-rounder out of the University of Washington if Tua Tagovailoa has already impressed the coaching staff in the competition for the starting QB job in 2026. Penix has torn the ACL in his knees already three times, dating back to college, so the Falcons have every reason to take it slow with the lefty signal-caller. Tua probably has the inside edge on the job in his first year in Atlanta, and Penix's lengthy injury history is ruining his dynasty/keeper stock. Depending on how Penix's rehab goes in the coming months, he could open training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

The Atlanta Falcons think that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will be healthy "at some point" during training camp this summer, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. Not only will Penix be coming off a torn ACL, but he'll have his work cut out for him to win the starting QB job as he enters his third NFL season. The Falcons will have an open QB competition this summer between Penix and former Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, who will have a head start under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Wolfe says that Tua has a "real chance" to win the job over Penix if he can bounce back from the worst year of his career in 2025. Atlanta's new coaching staff and front office want to give Penix a "kick in the butt, and Wolfe says it's not Penix's job to lose when he's healthy. Along with extreme durability concerns -- Penix has now had three ACL surgeries, dating back to college -- the University of Washington product could open 2026 as a backup. His dynasty/keeper stock is falling quickly.

The Atlanta Falcons signed free-agent running back Tyler Goodson to an undisclosed deal on Thursday, according to Will McFadden of AtlantaFalcons.com. Goodson, a Georgia native, will head to the NFC South after spending the first three years of his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts. The 25-year-old former undrafted free agent only had 54 rushing attempts for 264 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and one touchdown in his 33 games (one start) with the Colts, adding 19 receptions on 27 targets for 103 yards and a touchdown through the air. In Atlanta, Goodson will be competing with Carlos Washington and Nathan Carter for the RB3 role this summer, behind workhorse starter Bijan Robinson and new backup Brian Robinson Jr. He had just nine carries for 24 yards and caught two passes for eight yards in 11 games for Indy in 2025. Goodson can continue to be ignored in pretty much all fantasy leagues in 2026.

After years of underperforming his draft pedigree as the No. 4 overall selection in 2021, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. showed signs of a mid-career breakout in 2025. Across 17 games, the 25-year-old hauled in 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets. The Falcons placed the franchise tag on Pitts Sr. earlier this offseason, meaning he will be back in Atlanta in 2026, barring a trade. It's worth noting that Pitts Sr.'s best stretch of production came late in the 2025 season with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins under center and star Falcons wideout Drake London battling a knee injury. Cousins is no longer with the team, and London should be back to full health in 2026. The Falcons will rely on the quarterback combination of Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and Tua Tagovailoa, creating an unstable offensive environment around Pitts Sr. While Pitts Sr.'s 2025 production makes him an intriguing high-upside fantasy option, his profile still carries significant risk entering 2026.

The Atlanta Falcons will have a quarterback competition this year between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. (knee) whenever Penix is cleared to resume football activities after having knee surgery last season. Tagovailoa, a former first-rounder by the Miami Dolphins, has embraced the competition after starting 76 of the 78 games he appeared in for the Dolphins. He's also fine with helping Penix improve as a QB. "I think whatever I can do to help Mike's game will help me because if I'm helping get him better, it's helping me get better, vice versa, we're then helping the team get better," Tagovailoa said. The 28-year-old went 44-32 in his six seasons in Miami and led all QBs in 2022 in touchdown percentage (6.3%), yards per completion (13.7), and passer rating (105.5). He then led the league with 4,624 passing yards in 2023. Since then, though, Tagovailoa has suffered multiple concussions and has regressed as a passer. He thinks he can still be dangerous as a passer and that his best football is ahead of him, but he'll first need to beat out a recovering Penix for the starting gig in Atlanta in 2026. If Tagovailoa wins the job, he'll merely be a low-end QB2 with a short leash.

The Atlanta Falcons are expected to sign former San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. to an undisclosed deal, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Robinson has over 2,700 rushing yards, 612 receiving yards, and 22 total touchdowns in his four NFL seasons with the 49ers and Washington Commanders. The 27-year-old former third-round pick by Washington in 2022 out of Alabama had a career-low 92 rushing attempts for 400 yards and two touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in 2025 as the primary backup behind workhorse Christian McCaffrey. In his three years with the Commanders, Robinson had over 700 rushing yards each season and also totaled 15 rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.1 yards per carry. He will effectively replace Tyler Allgeier as the No. 2 in Atlanta behind Bijan Robinson, although fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be quite as productive as Allgeier was in a No. 2 role. The Falcons are expected to give Bijan the lion's share of the backfield touches in 2026.

Free-agent quarterback Trevor Siemian is signing an undisclosed deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Siemian will provide veteran depth at the QB position in Atlanta behind Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and Tua Tagovailoa heading into the 2026 season. The 34-year-old veteran was originally a seventh-round selection (250th overall) by the Denver Broncos in the 2015 NFL draft out of Northwestern. He spent the first three years of his career in Denver before bouncing around with the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, and Chicago Bears. Siemian hasn't played in an NFL game since making five appearances (three starts) for the Jets in 2023 and throwing for 724 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. In his seven NFL campaigns, Siemian has a 58.5% completion percentage, 7,751 passing yards, 44 touchdowns, and 32 interceptions in 40 games (33 starts). His best season came in his second year in Denver, when he threw for 3,401 yards, 18 TDs, and 10 interceptions in 14 starts.

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was already an undisputed high-end RB1, but his tremendous fantasy value is growing even larger following the team's offseason moves. The Falcons' new regime, led by head coach Kevin Stefanski and president of football Matt Ryan, allowed Tyler Allgeier to depart for Arizona in free agency, leaving Robinson as the only relevant name in Atlanta's backfield. That's an unfamiliar sight for Robinson, who had spent the first three years of his NFL career losing some touches to Allgeier. We can't rule out Atlanta bringing in another running back via free agency or the draft, but for now, Robinson has the backfield all to himself. That bodes well for the 24-year-old's chances to build upon an incredible 2025 in which he tallied 1,478 rushing yards, 820 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. If he can recoup even half of the eight touchdowns that Allgeier vultured from him, Robinson could be the favorite to finish 2026 as the overall RB1 in all fantasy formats.

Atlanta Falcons running back Nathan Carter went undrafted last year out of Michigan State and only saw nine carries for 60 yards in seven games played in 2025 in his first year in the NFL. Seven of his nine carries on the year came in the team's Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The 23-year-old was buried on the RB depth chart behind both Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. Carter should have a much bigger role in 2026, though, after Allgeier left in free agency. The Falcons could still add to the position via the NFL draft in April, but as things currently stand, Carter appears to be the handcuff option for fantasy managers who take Robinson at No. 1 overall in fantasy football drafts this fall. The only other running back on the Falcons' current roster is Carlos Washington Jr., who hasn't played a single snap on offense in his two years in the NFL.