Atlanta Falcons DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected to be released before his $10 million roster bonus is due on March 17, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Cousins signed a hefty four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons last offseason, but the move hasn't panned out very well for Atlanta. The veteran quarterback has the Falcons at 7-7 and second place in the NFC East. He has completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and a career-high 16 interceptions. Cousins was benched for first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. ahead of Week 16, and with the news that he'll be cut loose next March, it's possible that the veteran signal-caller doesn't register another snap in a Falcons jersey. The 36-year-old's proven track record should help him land a job somewhere else, but he won't get nearly as lucrative of a deal. He likely won't be a shoo-in to start with his next team, either.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney picked a terrible time to have his worst outing of the season, recording zero catches on one target against a depleted Raiders defense. The 27-year-old posted a one-catch performance back in Week 1, but averaged almost five catches per contest from Week 2-14. Now, with confidence shaken combined with a rookie quarterback making his first start, fantasy managers who survived Week 15's debacle must decide whether or not to use Mooney in Week 16. The lack of success last week should probably be attributed to Kirk Cousins more than Mooney, however. Still, even though the Falcons are nine-point favorites on Sunday versus the Giants, Atlanta is likely to deploy a heavy dose of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier against a defense that has yielded the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs on the season. If the Falcons do need to ask Michael Penix Jr. to throw, then the receivers should see some success, as New York allows the third-highest completion rate to QBs and has only intercepted a pass twice on the entire year. All that being said, Mooney looks like a shaky WR3 in the fantasy playoffs this Sunday.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will make his first career start in Week 16 against the New York Giants. The Falcons are heavy favorites in this one, but that is likely more a product of their one-two punch in the backfield of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier rather than a vote of confidence in the young signal-caller's arm. Not that Penix hasn't been on the big stage before or lacks upside; he led the Washington Huskies to the National Championship game this past January, ultimately losing to Michigan, with Atlanta subsequently taking him with the eighth overall selection in the 2024 Draft, so he's got the talent. But, while the Giants have allowed the third-highest completion percentage and have recorded a league-low two interceptions on the season, they've tallied the seventh-most sacks on the year, so Penix could be under pressure despite some things working in his favor. Hopefully the 24-year-old's receivers have quickly got accustomed to a left-hander throwing a football as well, which could make things a little more challenging than usual on Sunday. Whether it does or not, fantasy managers vying for championships who are also looking for a streaming option should look elsewhere as the former first-rounder projects as a risky, low-end QB2 in Week 16.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London popped up as a limited participant in Friday's practice due to a knee injury but does not carry an injury designation for the contest and is expected to play. Of course, with fantasy championships potentially in play for some, managers will want to keep an eye out for any news in the event something changes. In Week 15, the 23-year-old scored for the first time since Week 9, however, his outlook is a bit uncertain with rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. making his first career start in Week 16 against the Giants. New York has been decent in limiting fantasy production to wide receivers but have been poor against the run. With Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier in tow, the Falcons would be wise to lean on the run game in this one rather than let the rookie QB air it out, so London figures to be more of a WR2 this week rather than his typical WR1 status.

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson logged at least 20 carries for the fourth time in the last five contests last week and will be expected to carry the load again this week with rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. under center for the Falcons. With eight rushing TDs on the season and a receiving TD to boot, the 22-year-old is a top-five back for fantasy through 15 weeks, and in Week 16 he'll face a generous rush defense in the New York Giants. The Giants have yielded 14 scores on the ground, the second-most rush yards on the season, and the second-highest yards per carry, resulting in the fourth-most fantasy points scored by opposing running backs. While Robinson has seen a drop off in receptions over the last two weeks, his rookie QB will likely use him as a security blanket and the former first-rounder should get back on track in that regard. Deploy Robinson as a top-tier RB1 on Sunday in Atlanta.