Atlanta Falcons DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

ESPN's Adam Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday that Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) has the Vikings and the Atlanta Falcons as his primary two options if he becomes a free agent next week, but Schefter also mentions the Washington Commanders as a possibility. Schefter also believes that the Commanders are open to anything with the No. 2 overall pick in the first round of April's draft and could be open to moving back. If Cousins goes to Atlanta, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Vikings try to move up in the first round of the draft to select a rookie signal-caller. Cousins spent the first six years of his NFL career in D.C., so it would be a homecoming if he returned to the Commanders in 2024 and beyond. A move back to Washington would be intriguing from a fantasy perspective.

ESPN's Dan Graziano writes that the sense he's getting is that the Minnesota Vikings want impending quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) to return, but Cousins has a very specific idea in mind for what he wants in a new contract, and the Vikings so far have not made an offer that matches it. Cousins and his family like Minnesota and would be happy to stay and finish his career there, but it doesn't sound like he's willing to offer the team a hometown discount. If the Vikings don't sign him to an extension before the final four years of his contract void on March 12, they will carry a $28.5 million dead-money charge on their salary cap this year and Cousins will be on the open market for the second time in his career. If he reaches free agency, several teams are expected to be interested in the veteran signal-caller despite coming off a torn Achilles last year, including the Atlanta Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons are clearly seeking a quarterback upgrade this offseason over Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. Some folks think they may be the favorites to trade for Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields, but ESPN's Adam Schefter also says they are interested in Minnesota Vikings impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins (Achilles), despite the fact he tore his right Achilles on Oct. 29 and is 35 years old. Cousins has made encouraging progress from the injury, though, and expects to be ready for organized team activities and minicamp this spring. Despite his age and injury, he's expected to be the best available option on the free-agent market, and he'd certainly be an upgrade over Ridder/Heinicke with a strong RB in place in Bijan Robinson and intriguing receiving options in Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Still, Cousins' fantasy value will likely remain the highest as a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 if he stays in Minnesota.

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said that the team has a lot of faith in tight end Kyle Pitts now that he's fully healthy. Pitts played in all 17 games last year, but he wasn't fully healthy for much of the season after recovering from an MCL sprain in his right knee that he suffered in Week 11 of 2022. The 23-year-old former first-rounder had a frustrating 53-667-3 line in 2023, but he's already looking like a tight end to target in 2024 fantasy drafts. Not only will Pitts be another year beyond his knee injury, but Jonnu Smith is now gone, and new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is expected to use Pitts all over the field this year. Pitts will be relatively cheap in drafts, too, so he's shaping up as an excellent value play. However, at the end of the day, how productive Pitts will be could depend on what quarterback Atlanta brings in.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said the team wants to re-sign impending free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles). "I think Kirk Cousins wants to be a Viking, and we're gonna work to make that happen," O'Connell said. Cousins, who has been encouraged by his progress from a torn right Achilles that he suffered in late October of last year, will be a big offseason topic. The 35-year-old signal-caller should be ready to go by training camp this summer for whichever team he's playing for, barring a setback in his recovery. Right now, the Vikings feel like the favorites to retain Cousins, but there will surely be a handful of teams angling to outbid Minnesota for his services. For the fantasy picture, Cousins' value would remain the highest if he stays with the Vikings and All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson.