Drake London keeps giving the Falcons something to hang onto in a season that has swung from promising to messy and back again.
Atlanta has spent 2026 living on both sides of the line. At times, the team has looked like a real playoff threat.
At others, it has looked flat. Through all of that, London has stayed the one steady force.
What stands out most to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees isn’t just what London does with the ball in his hands. It’s everything he does when the ball isn’t coming his way.
“I would be hard pressed to find a better blocking wide receiver in the NFL. To do that and be a No. 1 receiver is pretty unique,” Rees said, via Josh Kendall of The Athletic.
That part of London’s game has helped separate him, even in a season where the touchdowns have been limited. He has only one score so far, but he is still averaging nearly 16 yards per catch and leads the Falcons with 692 receiving yards through nine games.
The numbers tell the story of Atlanta’s most reliable pass-game weapon. The Falcons need him, especially now, with the team sitting at 3-6 and trying to stop a slide that has included back-to-back losses and four defeats in its last six games.
Even with that record, Atlanta is still very much in the NFC South picture. The division has once again been forgiving, and the Falcons are close enough to make noise if they can string together a couple of wins.
That makes London even more important. Whether he’s scoring or not, he remains the top playmaker in the passing game, and Atlanta will need him to keep carrying that load Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs and beyond.
In Other News...
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The Falcons have already shown that shift in other ways, including trading Ryan Neuzil and locking in younger players on new contracts. Bates exit leaves a notable leadership void on a defense that valued his experience and voice, and it also adds another layer to a roster reset that is clearly still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]