Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr will return from his ACL injury and make his first start in Week 3 vs. the Packers on Thursday Night Football. The Falcons could use Penix, as they rank dead last in the NFL in team passing yards through two games with Cooper Rush forced into action (as well as a quarter of Jack Strand).
Drake London and Kyle Pitts owners rejoice. While Penix had a mixed 2025 season, he did rank No. 14 in Adjusted Yards Per Attempt (7.01) so the Falcons will be able to push the ball down the field and open up the playbook. It is uncertain how long Penix’s leash will be after Tua Tagovailoa returns from his ankle injury, but Tua was estimated as a limited participant in today’s walk-through practice.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London has recorded ...
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London had the tail end...
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London is already ...
With Kevin Stefanski keeping cards close to his chest on Monday, Wednesday’s practice participation report and media session will definitely be the spot to watch for any shifts in Michael Penix Jr.‘s designation or comfort level.
Given that he logged full practices last week but is working through that final mental or physical hurdle with the knee, it is difficult to expect Penix to be under center for Atlanta’s Week 2 match-up vs. Carolina. Drake London and Kyle Pitts will likely have to wait one more week to be unlocked.
Tua Tagovailoa exited team drills due to an oblique issue after grabbing his back. Coming off a 2025 campaign where he posted a 67.7-percent completion rate and 12.6 fantasy points per game, this injury puts his Week 1 status in jeopardy.
Cooper Rush absorbed all first-team reps afterward, locking Tua Tagovailoa into a questionable status for Week 1. In case you needed another reason to run away from Tua, now you have it. The larger question remains: Will all of this Falcons QB tumult affect Drake London?
This is a comically irresponsible prediction from a medical doctor about a player recovering from his third ACL injury (two to his right knee in college, one to his left knee last season). Despite limited practice involvement due to multiple past ACL injuries, Michael Penix Jr. remains expected to start the majority of games this season after averaging 13.7 Fantasy Points Per Game. Tua Tagovailoa takes the field first in the preseason opener, but his slim edge and historical 7.9 Accuracy Rating offer minimal job security.
Expect a volatile workload split driven by health and performance setting up a nightmare scenario for fantasy gamers, which will inevitably affect the skill position players in Atlanta from Bijan Robinson to Drake London to Kyle Pitts. Stay as far away from this QB room as possible and be sure to draft Gibbs over Bijan per the PlayerProfiler rankings.
What a mess. Adam Schefter reported that Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with back tightness, and soon after, the Falcons signed Cooper Rush for depth. Meanwhile, Michael Penix Jr. was seen Wednesday practicing in seven-on-seven drills but told local media that it would be another “another four weeks, probably, before going to the next stage.”
On July 31, 2026, Falcons beat writer Marc Raimondi reported that Tua Tagovailoa “did a walkthrough period at about half speed this morning.” Though NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport believes Tagovailoa will “likely start” Week 1 for the Falcons, this is the ultimate stayaway quarterback room in all fantasy football formats.
Drake London‘s projection is holding for now, but he needs baseline competence from the QB position to produce Top-10 WR fantasy numbers.
The Atlanta Falcons have a full-blown quarterback competition on their hands, but Tua Tagovailoa has the upper hand to start Week 1 over Michael Penix Jr. due to his precise historical profile. Head coach Kevin Stefanski values accuracy above all else, aligning with Tagovailoa’s 73.4-percent True Completion Percentage (No. 12) rather than Penix’s career 59.6-percent completion rate.
While both lefties will see the field this year, fantasy managers drafting in dynasty superflex formats should lean into Tagovailoa if managing win-now teams. On the other hand, Penix Jr. continues to offer more long-term upside.
