Zachariah Branch Stays in Georgia Going to the Falcons in the Third Round

By Shane Hallam | Updated on Sat, Apr 25 2026 3:14 AM UTC

The Atlanta Falcons selected Georgia WR Zachariah Branch in Round 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Branch arrived as a blue-chip prospect. A five-star track and football standout from Las Vegas, he committed to USC in 2023 and made an early impact as a returner with 2 TDs. He also out-produced Makai Lemon (31 catches to 6). Then in 2024, Lemon topped Branch in catches, yards, and TDs. Branch transferred to Georgia in 2025 and broke out as the Bulldogs’ most productive receiver, leading the team with 81 receptions and 811 receiving yards. Georgia manufactured much of that production via short throws, with 54.3% of his catches, 38.6% of his yards, and 50% of his TDs coming via screens. Removing screens, Branch recorded an underwhelming 2.01 yards per route run. Despite excellent long speed and burst, Branch’s thin route tree remains concerning for his dynasty outlook.

What They're Saying

Draft Sharks Rookie Guide: “At 5’9 and 177 pounds, Branch isn’t built to win with size or physicality. His value comes from speed, agility, and short-area explosiveness. He profiles best as a slot receiver and returner.”

2026 Fantasy Football Impact

The former five-star recruit stays in Georgia to join a Falcons WR room that lacks depth. After Drake London, the Falcons have newly signed WRs Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus.

That gives Branch the opportunity to get on the field. Of course, having 54.3% of his catches be on screens might make him more of a gadget player than full-time productive WR. But Branch shows the athleticism and quick-twitch ability to get open at least.

He could be worth a late redraft pick in case of cracking the lineup for an upside role. If he can exceed the shaky analytics, Branch could be intriguing.

Dynasty Impact

The long-term impact for Branch makes him an intriguing upside dynasty pick. Though the Falcons have some question marks at QB, Branch should be an easy dump off target for screen and small passes both this year and beyond.

He could be worth a late second round rookie pick for the athletic upside that Branch brings to the table.

Learn more about Zachariah Branch’s Dynasty Value

Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format, including redraft, dynasty, devy, C2C, IDP, CFF, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and a King's Classic Champion. Shane utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance. He led the industry in 2024 preseason Kicker Rankings and ranked second in preseason QB Rankings. He also ranked eighth in preseason IDP rankings.