Atlanta Falcons DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins struggled in his first game with his new team, completing 16-of-26 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown with one rushing attempt for no gain in an 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coming off the severe leg injury, it's not a complete shock that Cousins struggled in his first game back from recovery. The newly revamped offensive line was also no help, as he was sacked twice and was under constant pressure throughout the game. It may take some time for Cousins to find that efficiency he had back in Minnesota, especially with a prime-time matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on deck next week on Sunday Night Football.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney will step into the WR2 role for this offense to open the season. The 26-year-old reportedly looked good in camp and continued to make plays when called upon. Drake London opens the season as the primary passing option, but Mooney shouldn't be far behind him on the depth chart. It's worth noting that tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson should also be involved in the receiving game. Mooney has spent the last four seasons with the Chicago Bears. His best season came in 2021 when he recorded 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns. He's worth stashing in most fantasy formats and should be on the WR4 radar heading into the opener.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is taking Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) as his pick as the biggest-name QB coming off an injury in 2024 to have a bounce-back performance. Cousins is recovering from an Achilles tear from last year, but the fact that he's a pure pocket passer will make his recovery from the injury that much more easier in 2024. The Falcons offense also has three former top-10 picks in receiver Drake London, running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts, and Cousins is fully expected to help take all of their games to the next level in his first year in Atlanta. Cousins is expected to be ready to go for Week 1 on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former Vikings signal-caller isn't on the QB1 radar in fantasy this year while coming off his Achilles injury, but he has the potential to serve as a high-end backup if he stays healthy.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) was a full participant in practice on Friday for the second day in a row and is not included on the final injury report for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. There was some panic about Pitts' status this week when he was limited on the first official injury report back on Wednesday, but that concern is now gone and he'll suit up this weekend. The 23-year-old former first-rounder had high expectations coming into the NFL as fourth overall pick in 2021 out of Florida. He responded immediately with a 1,000-yard season in his rookie year, but it came with just one touchdown. Pitts underwhelmed the last two years, but he also hasn't worked with great QBs. Many folks are expecting his fourth season to be his best in 2024 now that QB Kirk Cousins is leading the offense. Pitts should be locked into fantasy lineups in Week 1.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) was a limited participant at practice on Wednesday and then practiced in full on Thursday. As reported by D. Orlando Ledbetter, Pitts says that he'll be 100% ready to go on Sunday in their contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 23-year-old is entering a very important season in his career now that he has a quarterback with more throwing ability than any other one he played with so far. Expectations are higher for Pitts and the Falcons offense as a whole, so the fact that he says he should be 100% healthy is encouraging. With this news, fantasy managers should be more comfortable playing him against the Steelers as he tries to get back to big receiving numbers like his rookie season.