Michael Penix Jr. Fantasy Stats

The Atlanta Falcons continue to be non-commital on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) being their starter under center in 2026, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. "I'm not big on giving out positions in February. I think you guys know how I feel about Michael, and I'm excited about his trajectory. I also know he's focused on his rehab, which is the right thing to do," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. Penix is recovering from a torn left ACL in 2025, so it's understandable for Atlanta's new front office and coaching staff to be non-committal on him going into next season. Penix expects to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season this fall, but the reality is we won't have a better idea of his availability until this summer. The former first-rounder wasn't all that impressive in 2025 before his injury, and he's now rehabbing from his third torn ACL. Penix is determined to heal up and return as the starter, but he'll have to prove it to the team's new brass first. Now might be a perfect time to buy low on Penix in dynasty/keeper leagues, although his injury history dating back to college is worrisome.

Atlanta Falcons president of football Matt Ryan and new general manager Ian Cunningham are non-committal on whether quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will be the guaranteed starter when he returns from the torn left ACL he suffered last November, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. "I've been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael's been in there attacking that, and he's in a good space right now, so we're excited about where he is. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster," Ryan said. The previous front office and coaching staff were adamant that Penix was their guy. But after a serious knee injury and poor results in 2025 prior to his injury, the new front office is taking more of a wait-and-see approach. The 25-year-old says he expects to be ready for Week 1 and is eager to prove he's the guy, but time will tell if Atlanta brings in serious competition for him via a trade, free agency, or the draft. Questions about Penix's durability have significantly lowered his dynasty stock.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) said on the Up & Adams Show on Friday that his recovery from knee surgery is a "little bit" ahead of schedule. Penix suffered a torn left ACL in Week 11 against the Carolina Panthers, but he's hoping he'll be ready to roll for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this fall. The 25-year-old has already recovered from two ACL tears in his right knee in college, so he's pretty familiar with the rehab process. He's been attacking his rehab diligently since having surgery on Nov. 25, but there's no guarantee that Penix will be ready for Week 1, making him an extremely volatile QB2 target in fantasy football drafts this fall. Before his knee injury, the former eighth overall pick out of Washington was extremely inconsistent in nine starts in his first year as the full-time starter, completing 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine TDs, and three picks.

Atlanta Falcons president of football Matt Ryan was non-committal on Tuesday to Michael Penix Jr. (knee) being the team's starting quarterback in 2026, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Penix suffered a torn left ACL last November and is currently recovering after having surgery. He is expected to be out anywhere from nine to 12 months. The 25-year-old completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions in nine games in 2025 in his first full year as the starter, with the Falcons going 3-6 in his starts. Penix was the eighth overall pick out of Washington in 2024. New head coach Kevin Stefanski has been complimentary of Penix since taking the job, but his health and status as the starter will be a big question mark going into training camp and the start of the 2026 regular season this fall. Penix's fantasy stock is down, and his lengthy injury history -- he's torn his ACL three times -- is a big reason why.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee), who had ACL reconstruction on his left knee on Nov. 25, is hoping that he'll be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this fall, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta-Journal Consitution. "I've been doing great," Penix said. "Each and every day, just trying to get better. I feel like my confidence has been building." The 25-year-old signal-caller was given a nine- to 12-month timetable at the time of his surgery, the third ACL surgery of his career. There's optimism right now from Penix and the Falcons, but Penix's availability for the start of next season is still very much up in the air. It sounds like new head coach Kevin Stefanski is fully committed to Penix as the team's starter going forward, but his lengthy injury history -- he also suffered two season-ending shoulder injuries in college -- makes him an extremely volatile dynasty asset in fantasy football. In his 14 games (12 starts) in his first two NFL seasons, Penix has completed only 59.6% of his passes for 2,757 yards with 12 TDs and six interceptions.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is already doing squats and said he thinks he'll be ready to go by April. Penix had successful surgery to fix a partially torn ACL in his left knee in late November and was expected to be facing a nine-month recovery. It's great news that the 25-year-old is doing well in his recovery, but even if he's ready for the start of the 2026 regular season this fall, it's hard to look past the fact that he's now had three reconstructive knee surgeries and two season-ending shoulder injuries. The Falcons will most likely be doing something to give them a fallback option in case Penix's injury woes continue, especially if they don't retain Kirk Cousins. The 25-year-old was up and down in his second NFL season in 2025 before injuring his knee, completing 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions in only nine starts. Penix will head into Year 3 with only 12 starts under his belt.

New Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke to the media on Tuesday about the importance of getting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) back healthy in 2026, per Tori McElhaney of AtlantaFalcons.com. "Michael (Penix) is someone I am very excited about," Stefanski said. Penix suffered a partially torn ACL in his left knee late in the season, putting his availability for the start of the 2026 campaign in question. The 25-year-old signal-caller also tore his right ACL twice in college and suffered season-ending injuries to both of his shoulders before getting to the NFL. While Stefanski and Atlanta's new coaching staff may like what Penix has put on tape early in his career, his long-term durability is a major question mark. The Falcons could move on from veteran Kirk Cousins this offseason, and if they do, they'd need to bring more QB insurance in case Penix isn't ready. The situation in Atlanta is nice for Penix, but his lengthy injury history makes him a risky QB2 in fantasy going into the 2026 season.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said on Wednesday that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) had successful surgery on his knee on Tuesday, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Penix had full reconstructive surgery to fix a partially torn ACL in his left knee, which will keep him out for the rest of this season and possibly for the start of the 2026 season next fall. The 25-year-old second-year signal-caller is facing a nine-month recovery, which will force Atlanta to rethink its long-term plan at the QB position this offseason. This is Penix's third ACL reconstruction in his career after he had two knee surgeries in college. Kirk Cousins will start the rest of the year under center for the Falcons, but depending on how he finishes the season, the Falcons could opt out of the final two seasons of his four-year deal.

When the Atlanta Falcons spent a first-round pick on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) in the 2024 NFL Draft, approximately six weeks after signing veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract, they signaled a commitment to getting the QB position right, even if the approach was untraditional. Less than two years later, Penix suffered a season-ending ACL tear, the third since his college days, and Cousins sits at 8-8 as the Falcons starter following a Week 12 win over the Saints in which he failed to top 200 passing yards for his third straight start. Neither Penix nor Cousins has looked like a long-term answer at the position, and with Penix's injury timeline now adding uncertainty to his status for the beginning of the 2026 season, Atlanta could once again need to address the quarterback room this offseason.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) does indeed need surgery that involves "full reconstruction" of his torn ACL and faces "at least" nine months of recovery, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Penix Jr. suffered the injury during his team's Week 11 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The injury occurred in his left knee rather than his right, which is notable considering he tore his right ACL twice during his collegiate career. A nine-month recovery timeline from late November means Penix Jr.'s availability for the start of the 2026 season could be in question. For the remainder of 2025, Atlanta will likely turn to veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has struggled across three games (one start) worth of action so far this season. Cousins profiles as a low-end fantasy QB2 heading into a Week 12 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.