The Falcons opened camp without Michael Penix Jr, who was still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 11 last season. Now head coach Kevin Stefanski says Penix Jr is cleared for 11-on-11 work and will practice Monday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Cleared, But QB1 Still Open
Penix Jr returns with the Falcons still yet to name their starting QB for the upcoming campaign.
Last season, in Penix Jr’s second year, he posted 15.1 fantasy points per game (PPG), which ranked 24th among all QBs. Given his style of play and numerous knee injuries, he generates almost all of his production as a passer.
While it doesn’t jump off the page, his 7.3 adjusted yards per attempt ranked 15th among QBs. Doing so in his second season still leaves room for growth.
The Falcons did bring in veteran QB Tua Tagovailoa, who’s coming off a career-worst fantasy season with just 13.8 PPG and is one of the few QBs in the league who offers less rushing production than Penix Jr.
We’ll see whether Penix Jr being cleared means the Falcons' decision on their starting QB could finally be coming to a close.
