Atlanta Falcons News

Entering 2026, Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson appears unlikely to be a consistent fantasy producer as long as star Falcons running back Bijan Robinson stays healthy. Playing a similar role behind Christian McCaffrey for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, Robinson Jr. recorded 92 carries for 400 yards and two touchdowns across 17 games. However, Robinson Jr. has clear handcuff appeal as the obvious go-to option in Atlanta should Bijan Robinson suffer an injury. He may also see a bit more goal-line work this year, as former Falcons back Tyler Allgeier recorded eight rushing touchdowns in 2025 while playing a supporting role in the Atlanta backfield. In leagues where Robinson Jr. is available on the waiver wire ahead of Week 1, he may be worth stashing in a bench spot as a high-end handcuff running back.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will be inactive for Sunday's season opener against Pittsburgh, head coach Kevin Stefanski said, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter. Tua Tagovailoa will start, with Cooper Rush serving as Atlanta's No. 2 quarterback. Penix spent most of the offseason and training camp working his way back from ACL surgery before finally being cleared for full-team work in late August. He did not play in any of Atlanta's three preseason games. Stefanski declined to put a timeline on what comes next for Penix, but said he is "very, very confident" in the team's plan for him and feels good about where he is right now. Penix started nine games last season, throwing for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Atlanta Falcons have named quarterback Tua Tagovailoa their starter for their Week 1 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former Miami Dolphins quarterback joined the Falcons in the offseason and was competing alongside Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job. However, with Penix still recovering from a torn ACL, Tagovailoa had the edge for much of the competition. Despite this, fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his production, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported last week that the Falcons may not give Tagovailoa a long leash if he were to struggle early in the season. In 2025, Tagovailoa appeared in 14 games for the Dolphins and posted a modest 20:15 TD:INT while averaging 190 passing yards per game. Given his inconsistencies last season, Tagovailoa should be viewed as a low-end QB3 in Superflex formats in Week 1.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has been quietly moving up draft boards recently. In the latest unofficial depth chart, Zaccheaus is listed as a starter ahead of rookie Zachariah Branch. The expectation is that Zaccheaus will remain a starter to begin the season while Branch gets more comfortable as a pro. Down the road, Zaccheaus could lose playing time, but he might be a deep league option to begin the season. The Falcons are going to lean on Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr. as their focal points in the passing game. They also have stud running back leading the charge on the ground. There might not be a ton of work for Zaccheaus, but he could be worth stashing in deep leagues to begin the year.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. enjoyed a breakout 2025 season, and he continued to produce throughout the 2026 preseason. As a result, he continues to trend up in fantasy football, despite having some uncertainty at the quarterback position. Pitts emerged as the overall TE2 in PPR leagues last season, catching 88 passes for 928 yards and five touchdowns. He set new career-high marks in fantasy points, receptions, and touchdowns with Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins as his quarterbacks. He added another six catches for 81 yards this preseason, which is really impressive considering that he handled a limited snap share due to his role as the team's starting tight end. Pitts' latest success has him trending up in redraft leagues. For now, he ranks as RotoBaller's TE8, but another top-three finish is not out of the question. Right now, the biggest obstacle in his way is the Falcons' quarterback situation. Tua Tagovailoa is trending toward being the Falcons' Week 1 starting quarterback, and his discouraging production in recent years could put a slight damper on Pitts' fantasy upside.

NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport expects Tua Tagovailoa to be on "a little bit of a short leash" if he is named the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Tagovailoa is competing with Michael Penix Jr. for the QB1 role in Atlanta. Penix is recovering from a partial ACL tear that he suffered in November 2025, which required surgery. Penix was fully cleared to practice in late August, but his timeline for returning to game action remains unknown. Tagovailoa struggled in the preseason, and his confidence seems to be waning. Rapoport noted that Penix would likely be the starter if he were healthy, but that Atlanta is left in "limbo" in terms of what to do at the quarterback position right now. The Falcons signed Tagovailoa to a one-year contract worth $1.215 million in March. Tagovailoa has a current Yahoo ADP of 201 and is best left on the waiver wire in all standard leagues as things currently stand.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London remains one of the safer bets for volume, even with the quarterback situation still unsettled. London drew 112 targets in only 12 games last season, turning them into 68 catches for 919 yards and seven touchdowns. No other Falcons wide receiver reached 75 targets, and Darnell Mooney is no longer on the roster. Atlanta added Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus and rookie Zachariah Branch, but none of them changes London's standing as the clear No. 1 receiver. The bigger question is who will be throwing him the ball. The Falcons were still evaluating Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa this week, and their current depth chart lists both atop the quarterback spot. London has enough of a grip on this passing game to keep that uncertainty from sinking his value. He checks in at WR7 in RotoBaller's latest half-PPR rankings after averaging 9.3 targets per game over the past two seasons. The quarterback play may be uneven, but London's role gives him a strong chance to keep producing like a fantasy WR1.

Atlanta Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson will remain a fantasy superstar in 2026 despite rumors he would not get goal-line work. Robinson had 287 carries for 1,478 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding 820 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 79 receptions. His elite production last season came while running back Tyler Allgeier shared the workload, and Allgeier had 157 total attempts for 610 yards and eight touchdowns. The Falcons replaced Allgeier with former Commanders and 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr., and reports on his usage in Atlanta have been mixed, ranging from taking the "Allgeier role" to splitting reps with third-string back Tyler Goodson. Regardless, Robinson will remain an elite option in the first rounds of fantasy drafts. He's an elite runner and receiver and has yet to miss a game in his NFL career. He should be among the first three picks in fantasy drafts this season.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch is not expected to have a starting role in Week 1, and his low position on the depth chart likely takes him off the redraft radar entirely. The Falcons' latest depth chart lists Branch with the second-team offense, likely putting him in the No. 4 or No. 5 receiver role. He's penciled in behind Drake London, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Jahan Dotson, as well as potentially Chris Blair. Branch was a third-round pick, so it's not a total shock to see him lower on the depth chart to open his career. With that said, he caught 81 passes at Georgia last year, so we know that he can produce against a strong caliber of opponent. Nevertheless, it looks like fantasy managers will have to be patient with Branch, who is likely headed for a more consistent role on special teams than on offense. He caught just four passes for 21 yards in the preseason, and he has fallen to WR81 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for fantasy football.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is expected to eventually take over as the starter under center, according to Cameron Wolfe. Penix is still working his way back from a partially torn left ACL from last year. He was cleared to begin doing team drills as of last weekend. Wolfe mentions that he believes it's too soon for Penix to start in Week 1, but it doesn't sound like it'll take him too long before he's ready to go. The expectation is that Tua Tagovailoa will begin the season as the starter while Penix gets fully healthy. The 26-year-old is likely still viewed as the future in Atlanta, but they need to make sure he's healthy first.

The Athletic's Josh Kendall writes that Atlanta Falcons backup running back Brian Robinson has "shown a physical style in practice that cements his role" as the new Tyler Allgeier. Kendall adds that Bijan Robinson's fantasy managers "may not like how many goal-line carries he gets." We all know how good Bijan Robinson is -- he's had over 1,400 rushing yards in each of the last two seasons as one of the best all-around backs in the league -- but Allgeier frustratingly handled more goal-line and red-zone looks than Robinson's fantasy managers were comfortable with, and Kendall is saying that it could happen again. Bijan Robinson had a career-high 14 rushing scores in 2024, but that number was cut in half last year, while Allgeier had a career-high eight rushing TDs. Bijan is ranked as the RB2 in half-PPR leagues at RotoBaller, behind only the Detroit Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs. Brian Robinson had a career-low 400 rushing yards and two TDs behind Christian McCaffrey in San Fran last year, but he had three straight 700-plus-yard seasons in his first three years in the league and is very capable as a goal-line option in Atlanta. Bijan Robinson should still be in play as the No. 1 overall fantasy pick this year, but his new backfield mate could be a thorn in his side and lower his overall ceiling.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London had the tail end of his 2025 season disrupted after he suffered a knee injury that kept him sidelined from Week 12 through Week 16. However, even in a season in which he ultimately missed five games due to injury, London finished the year with 68 catches for 919 yards and seven touchdowns on 112 targets. Over the last two seasons with Atlanta, London has averaged 9.3 targets per game and hauled in 16 touchdown catches. While the Falcons have a pair of capable pass-catchers in tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. and running back Bijan Robinson, London profiles as the team's most dangerous wide receiver by a mile and should dominate target share once again in 2026. Atlanta's uncertain quarterback situation is a potential limiting factor for London's fantasy upside, but the 25-year-old has proven he can produce through underwhelming quarterback play in the past. Particularly in PPR-scoring leagues, London remains a viable fantasy WR1 despite the less-than-ideal offensive environment around him in Atlanta.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Jahan Dotson caught all three of his targets for 27 yards in Friday's 17-12 victory over the Dolphins. The former first-round draft pick played in just the first quarter with the other starters and appears to be locked in as the team's No. 2 wide receiver to begin the season behind Drake London, who did not play in the contest. We'll see how significant a role that will be under the new coaching staff in Atlanta, as last season that role was filled by Darnell Mooney, who fell well behind London, Kyle Pitts Sr., and Bijan Robinson in the receiving pecking order. The 26-year-old's current RotoBaller ranking as the 87th overall wide receiver indicates he should be an afterthought in most fantasy drafts, with Atlanta's rookie wide receiver Zachariah Branch actually ranked higher at RotoBaller despite likely starting the season as the team's WR3/4.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. had another good showing in Atlanta's 17-12 preseason win over the Dolphins on Friday. The 6-foot-6 tight end played the first quarter and hauled in all three of his targets for 59 yards, including a nice 37-yard catch-and-run down the sideline that got the team into the red zone to set up their first score of the game. The former fourth-overall draft pick sat out last week's preseason contest, but secured three of four targets for 22 yards in the team's first preseason game and is coming off his most productive season in the NFL. The product out of the University of Florida set career highs in targets (118), receptions (88), and touchdowns (five) while totaling 928 receiving yards last season. The 25-year-old finished as the TE2 last year, but is currently ranked as the seventh tight end overall at RotoBaller, which is probably fair given the underwhelming options at quarterback in Atlanta, whether Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. ends up being under center. For what it is worth, Pitts averaged over six targets per game in the eight full games he played with Penix as the signal caller in 2025.

Starting against his former team, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had his ups and downs in the team's final outing of the preseason, a 17-12 win over the Miami Dolphins. He looked sharp on an eight-play, 60-yard touchdown drive to open the night, and he finished the game with 95 passing yards and only one incompletion on eight attempts, but he also lost a fumble on an under-center snap on the second drive of the game, his second fumble in as many preseason games. Tagovailoa has struggled with consistency throughout his first training camp with the Falcons, unable to take advantage of the opportunity provided by Michael Penix Jr.'s (knee) prolonged absence. Penix was recently cleared to participate in team drills, and while he did not suit up for the team's final preseason contest, he believes he will be ready for Atlanta's Week 1 matchup with the Steelers. Tagovailoa may have done just enough on Friday night to hold the starting job heading into the regular season, but with Penix in the third year of his rookie deal, the Falcons will soon be faced with a decision on his fifth-year option, all but ensuring he will at some point assume starting duties. Tagovailoa is RotoBaller's QB32 for 2026 and not a player who needs to be drafted.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has quietly improved his redraft outlook by holding onto a starting role as the preseason winds down. Atlanta's latest unofficial depth chart still lists Zaccheaus with the first team, ahead of rookie Zachariah Branch in the slot. The game usage has backed that up. In the preseason opener, Zaccheaus played six of eight first-team snaps with Tua Tagovailoa, while Branch saw just one. The Falcons then sat Zaccheaus, Drake London, and Jahan Dotson against Indianapolis, and Branch remained mostly with the reserves. Zaccheaus also moved outside during a two-minute drill in joint practices so Atlanta could get Branch onto the field in the slot, showing there is at least a path for both to play. The 29-year-old caught 39 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns with Chicago last season after posting 45 catches for 506 yards and three scores with Washington in 2024. London, Dotson, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson will limit the ceiling, and Branch remains a threat to earn more work. Still, Zaccheaus has done enough to enter Week 1 as the favorite for a meaningful complementary role.

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson said on Wednesday that the new run scheme is similar to what he ran in college at Texas. Robinson said, "Obviously, he's had these legendary run schemes, and it's pretty cool just talking to him and seeing how it's all going to develop. But this is what I did in college. I love the plan that he has." At Texas, Robinson totaled 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns in 31 games, helping him be drafted with the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Over the last two seasons, Robinson has totaled over 2,900 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. With Tyler Allgeier now in Arizona, Robinson could potentially lead the league in rushing this season. The star running back should remain one of the top three picks in fantasy drafts this season.

Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson joined the team this past offseason to help offer some support in the backfield after the departure of Tyler Allgeier. Robinson started in the preseason opener, but didn't see any action during their second preseason contest. The expectation is that Robinson will take over as the RB2 in Atlanta with Allgeier moving on to Arizona. The former third-round pick posted multiple quality years with the San Francisco 49ers. Robinson didn't see a ton of action last year with the Washington Commanders, but his YPC was solid at 4.35 this past season. The Falcons don't have a ton of reliable depth behind starter Bijan Robinson, so the overall competition is limited. The 27-year-old figures to serve as the primary backup, but Bijan Robinson is a workhorse back, so his overall value is likely capped.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. is coming off the best season of his professional career. Finally, Pitts posted great numbers last season after a few average years in Atlanta. The Falcons changed quarterbacks this offseason, but that might actually help Pitts this upcoming season. Pitts has been a favorite target for new quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during the preseason. The two are quickly building chemistry together, which is encouraging for fantasy managers. Pitts registered 88 receptions, 928 receiving yards, and five touchdowns this past season. He'll look to beat those numbers in 2026 as likely the No. 2 option behind Drake London in the passing attack.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee), who was cleared to participate in team drills earlier this week, thinks he will be ready to go for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Tori McElhaney of the team's official website. "I felt good. I felt confident," Penix said about his return to training camp practice this week. He will not participate in the preseason finale on Friday against the Miami Dolphins, but if the Falcons decide they want to roll with Penix as their starter over the struggling Tua Tagovailoa, he should be physically ready after suffering a partially torn left ACL last year. The 26-year-old was the eighth overall pick in 2024 from the University of Washington, and the Falcons are still holding out hope that he is the long-term answer under center. Given how bad Tua has looked this summer, it is looking more plausible that Penix could be named the Week 1 starter despite missing a big chunk of camp while rehabbing his knee. Still, for fantasy purposes, Penix should be viewed as nothing more than a low-end QB2 option in superflex leagues after throwing for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three picks in nine starts in 2025.