Atlanta Falcons DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

If the Atlanta Falcons stick to their plan, quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) will enter the regular season without any game action this year. Cousins did participate in the joint practices on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Miami Dolphins, but he's unlikely to suit up during the preseason. Head coach Raheem Morris is fine with where the signal-caller is at in his recovery from last season's torn Achilles and believes Cousins will be ready for the regular-season opener, which is set for Sep. 8 against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Although Cousins will be 36 years old by the time the season starts and is coming off a serious injury, he was playing at an MVP level before going down last year, throwing for 291.4 yards per game with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight starts for the Minnesota Vikings. Treat him as a fringe QB1/2 to begin his first season with Atlanta.

As much as anyone on the offense, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts has been breathing heavily during practice at training camp. Part of that is because he's getting a ton of work, more than he did under former head coach Arthur Smith, simply because the Falcons practiced more personnel groupings under Smith. Another part of it could be that he's still working himself into his best shape. Although he won't be an unrestricted free agent until the 2026 offseason, 2024 feels like it's a bit of a make-or-break season for Pitts. The 23-year-old former No. 4 overall pick and generational talent remains a buy-low fantasy asset among low-end TE1 picks in drafts this summer, with their being optimism that Atlanta's modernized offense will finally unlock him. Last year, Pitts led his position in deep targets (11), air yards (1,012), and unrealized air yards (479) in 17 games.

SI.com's Albert Breer writes that Atlanta Falcons rookie first-round quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has been impressive so far in training camp while running the second-team offense as he heads into his first NFL season as a backup to veteran Kirk Cousins. Penix has looked good getting guys in and out of the huddle and is getting a better feel for progressing to the backside of some of the team's new passing concepts. He has a knack for pushing the ball down the field and has had a handful of wo throws every week. The 24-year-old was a surprise as the eighth overall pick in April's draft after the team signed Cousins in free agency. There's a ton of long-term upside for Penix in fantasy if he can avoid the injury bug, but he'll be off the redraft radar as long as Cousins stays healthy.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud clearly has the starting slot job right now over Rondale Moore. McCloud had 90 catches in six seasons before signing with the Falcons as a free agent this offseason, while Moore had 135 catches in three years when Atlanta acquired him in a trade for quarterback Desmond Ridder. "I have the ultimate confidence in him," wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard said of McCloud. "I think he's going to be really good for our football team." Moore has made some big plays in camp with the second-team offense but has struggled with consistency. The 27-year-old McCloud has mostly been a special-teams asset in his time in the NFL, but he could have a bigger role in the new-look Falcons offense in 2024. For now, he's just a name to monitor as fantasy drafts approach this fall.

Houston Texans tight end Teagan Quitoriano (lower body) had a notable performance in the Hall of Fame Game against the Chicago Bears, catching two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. The Texans rested starter Dalton Schultz and backup Brevin Jordan. This left Quitoriano and rookie Cade Stover as the only tight ends on the roster. Quitoriano started the game, taking the first five plays before Stover rotated in for a few snaps. Quitoriano, a 2022 sixth-round pick from Oregon State, scored the touchdown but was carted off the field later due to an injury. The 24-year-old went for evaluation of a lower-body injury with no further update. Stover continued as the lone tight end for the remainder of the game. Neither Quitoriano nor Stover will have significant fantasy value unless Schultz and Jordan miss time.