The Falcons have named QB Michael Penix Jr. the starter for Thursday night's game against the Packers. We passed along word Sunday that this might be the case, and the team confirmed it Monday. Atlanta started Cooper Rush the first two games after Tua Tagovailoa went down with an oblique injury.
Falcons QB Cooper Rush will start this weekend's game vs. the Panthers, HC Kevin Stefanski said Friday. QB Michael Penix (knee) was a full-go in practice all week but has been ruled out. QB Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) is listed as doubtful. Rush was a disaster last week, throwing for 143 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts combined for 2 catches and 29 yards. The matchup is easier this week against Carolina, but it's tough to have much optimism for this passing game. Check your Team Dashboard to see if London or Pitts belongs in your starting lineup.
Falcons QBs Michael Penix (knee) and Cooper Rush (back) were full participants in Wednesday's practice, while QB Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) was out. Penix and Rush reportedly split first-team reps, and Penix said afterward that he's "close" to being ready to play. HC Kevin Stefanski did not name a Week 2 starter when asked on Wednesday. None of these guys should be in your Week 2 fantasy plans, but Drake London and Kyle Pitts owners should be hoping for Penix ASAP.
Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa has been ruled out for this weekend's game vs. the Steelers after suffering an oblique injury in Thursday's practice. We'll see how much longer he'll be sidelined, and when QB Michael Penix is ready to play after last year's ACL tear. But it'll be QB Cooper Rush under center for Atlanta in Pittsburgh. The 32-year-old owns a career 61.1% completion rate and 6.3 yards-per-attempt average. Rush is likely a downgrade even from the current version of Tagovailoa. WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts take a hit in the Week 1 rankings, although both guys are fine to keep in lineups as volume-based plays. The Steelers DST is an elite Week 1 play.
Update: HC Kevin Stefanski labeled Tagovailoa "week to week" on Friday, suggesting that he might be out beyond Week 1.
Falcons de facto starting QB Tua Tagovailoa left Thursday's practice after appearing to hurt his back, an injury that could jeopardize his status for Sunday's opening game at Pittsburgh.
Update: It's an oblique injury, but we don't yet know more about whether it'll affect the QB's Week 1 availability.
The Falcons have named QB Tua Tagovailoa their Week 1 starter against the Steelers, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Tagovailoa entered the summer as a heavy favorite for the starting job while QB Michael Penix worked back from his ACL tear. But a rough August nearly cost him the job.
Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa has struggled so badly in training camp that Michael Penix has a chance to win the Week 1 starting job, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Rapoport said Atlanta planned to start Tagovailoa while Penix worked back from his knee injury, but Tua's play has made that "impossible."
After being cleared to practice four days ago, Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski told reporters that Michael Penix Jr. won't play in the final preseason game, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Tua Tagovailoa will be the starting QB on Friday, as three practices are too soon for Penix Jr. to return to game action.
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.
In a battle between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., the Falcons have yet to name their starting QB. But ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reports that they plan to have Tagovailoa be their starter for the initial preseason game on Friday.
The Falcons opened training camp yesterday without their top two QBs in Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. Tagovailoa had been dealing with back tightness, but he's back at practice today. Tagovailoa opened the day doing individual drills, so the back tightness doesn't appear to be a major issue. Penix and Tagovailoa are currently competing to open the season as the starter.
Falcons QBs Michael Penix and Tua Tagovailoa are sidelined for the start of training camp. Penix continues to recover from November surgery to repair his right ACL. Tagovailoa is dealing with a tight back, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, and is expected back next week.
Falcons QB Michael Penix is throwing at the team's OTA sessions this week. He's working back from November 25 surgery to repair what was reported as a partial tear of his left ACL.
The Falcons expect QB Michael Penix Jr. to be ready at some point during training camp, according to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. Penix aggravated a bone bruise and knee sprain and sustained damage to his ACL in Week 11's loss to the Panthers on November 16th. A recovery for training camp would place him back in action about eight months after the injury.
NFL Network reports that the Falcons are expected to sign QB Tua Tagovailoa to a league-minimum deal. Any agreement can't officially be made until the Dolphins' release of the veteran processes later this week.
The Dolphins announced that they will release QB Tua Tagovailoa at the start of the new league year this week. The move will cost Miami an NFL-record $99 million in dead money, split over this season and next. The Fins are hitting the 'reset' button under new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and HC Jeff Hafley, cutting Tagovailoa and WR Tyreek Hill, among others, this offseason.
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