Team Profile
Atlanta Falcons
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3.5% 14thOff DVOA
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18.7% 16thPassing DVOA
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3.1% 7thRushing DVOA
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6.8% 26thDef DVOA
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17.2% 26thDef Passing DVOA
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-7.1% 20thDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For21.8 20th
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Points Against23.3 18th
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Yards Per Game361.0 10th
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Yards Allowed Per Game337.0 13th
The Atlanta Falcons have signed quarterback Nathan Peterman to their practice squad on Tuesday. The veteran signal-caller was recently released by the Las Vegas Raiders. Peterman played in the preseason with Las Vegas, but failed to snag a backup spot on the roster. The 30-year-old played two games with the Chicago Bears in 2023. He has mainly been a backup throughout his career, which is what he'll do in Atlanta. Peterman will remain on the practice squad and serve as emergency depth for the organization.
Atlanta Falcons reporter Joe Patrick writes that Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was the most impressive pass-catcher of the group in terms of volume and ability early in training camp. As camp progressed, Pitts' volume changed and he was catching balls on shorter routes at times. The biggest change is that it seems he's not the player used primarily to stretch the field vertically like he was last year. New quarterback Kirk Cousins also has better anticipation than the previous QBs Pitts has worked with and can deliver the ball in ways that allow for more run-after-the-catch opportunities for Pitts. Last year, Pitts was hampered by injuries and he looked much better in camp this summer. Most fantasy football pundits are expecting a bounce-back year for the 23-year-old in 2024 with Cousins in the fold as a midrange TE1.
The Las Vegas Raiders released veteran quarterback Nathan Peterman on Tuesday, according to a source. Peterman only lasted two weeks on the Raiders roster while Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O'Connell were still competing for the starting role under center. With Peterman now out of the picture, Vegas will roll with Minshew as the starter, O'Connell as the backup and rookie Carter Bradley as the QB3 for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers. In the preseason finale, the 30-year-old veteran went 12-for-19 for 108 yards and a touchdown. The journeyman backup QB started his career with the Buffalo Bills after they took him in the fifth round in 2017 out of Pittsburgh. Peterman has played in only 15 games (five starts) in his six years in the NFL and has 712 yards passing, four touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Phillip Dorsett was released by the team on Monday. With the Broncos already planning to move on from wide receiver Tim Patrick, they continued their overhaul of their wide receiving core with Dorsett's release. Dorsett was buried on the depth chart and unlikely to be much of a factor. He had not caught a pass during the 2024 preseason, and he has not caught a pass in the regular season since 2022. With the Broncos moving forward with a younger receiving core, the former-first-round pick will have to find a new home.
Atlanta Falcons rookie sixth-round wide receiver Casey Washington is already looking like a real value pick for the Falcons, as he's made some of the team's best catches in training camp and is in contention for Atlanta's fourth wide receiver role after the loss of Rondale Moore to a season-ending injury. Washington is competing with the likes of Chris Blair and KhaDarel Hodge for the No. 4 role behind Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud III. The Falcons' offense is much more attractive to fantasy managers now that head coach Arthur Smith is gone and quarterback Kirk Cousins is leading the show. The 23-year-old had 49 catches for 670 yards and four touchdowns in his final season at Illinois last year. For now with just a depth role in Atlanta, Washington is one to watch in dynasty/keeper leagues.