The Falcons have laid out their Week 1 plan, and the headline is exactly what it was when Tua Tagovailoa was named the starter: he’ll open as QB1 against the Steelers.
Atlanta’s depth chart, released for the matchup, puts Cooper Rush behind him at quarterback, with Jack Strand at QB3 and Michael Penix Jr. listed as QB4 and inactive. The rest of the offense mostly follows a familiar script, with Bijan Robinson leading the backfield and Drake London, Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus listed as the starting receivers.
At tight end, Kyle Pitts is TE1 and Charlie Woerner is right behind him as TE2, while Austin Hooper checks in as TE3. Up front, Jake Matthews is set at left tackle, Matthew Bergeron at left guard, Ryan Neuzil at center, Chris Lindstrom at right guard and Jawaan Taylor at right tackle.
The one immediate eyebrow-raiser on the depth chart comes on defense, where rookie Kendal Daniels is listed as a starter at linebacker next to Divine Deablo. That gives Atlanta a fresh face in the middle right away, and the Falcons clearly aren’t waiting long to see what Daniels can do in live action.
Another rookie, second-round pick Avieon Terrell, is also positioned to start in the secondary. That means he’ll line up alongside his brother, A.J. Terrell, giving Atlanta a family pairing in a unit that already looks like one of the team’s strengths.
The secondary is shaped to feature Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts at safety, with Mike Hughes at cornerback and C.J. Henderson, Billy Bowman Jr., Mike Ford Jr. and Malcom Dewalt IV deeper on the chart. Avieon Terrell is listed as the nickel starter.
Zachariah Branch is another rookie who lands lower on the chart than some may have expected, listed behind Olamide Zaccheaus at receiver. Still, with Atlanta carrying only five wideouts, Branch should have a chance to get involved early, especially because of the explosiveness he can bring.
There’s also a reminder on the defensive front not to read too much into the exact order. Gervon Dexter Sr. and Za’Darius Smith are both listed as backups, but the expectation is that they’ll still see plenty of action against Pittsburgh. Atlanta’s line is built for rotation, so the Week 1 listing doesn’t tell the full story there.
On special teams, Nick Folk is the kicker, Jake Bailey the punter and Liam McCullough the long snapper.
In Other News...
Falcons Face A Jessie Bates Decision That Could Reshape The Roster
The Falcons are already looking past their 2026 opener with one eye on the quarterback room, but another roster decision could end up carrying even more long-term weight. Second-year safety Xavier Watts is part of the picture, yet the bigger name is Jessie Bates III, who has continued to draw recognition for his play while moving into the final year of his contract.
Bates has become one of the more important pieces on the roster, and what Atlanta does next could shape both its defensive stability and its financial flexibility. An extension would not only keep a proven veteran in place, it could also help the Falcons manage their salary cap situation, leaving the front office with a choice that feels increasingly tied to the teams bigger plans. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face A Far Different Steelers Test Than Fans Might Expect
The Falcons 2026 opener in Pittsburgh comes with a very different feel than the one Atlanta fans have been used to seeing from the Steelers in recent years. A team that long carried the image of Mike Tomlins hard-edged consistency now enters the season with Mike McCarthy in charge, and the matchup also carries an odd layer of familiarity for Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski, who knows the Steelers well enough to understand how much changing the sideline can alter the tone of a game.
What makes the trip to Pittsburgh particularly interesting is the sense that this offense is being built to look less like the old Steelers blueprint and more like something McCarthy has shaped before. The ground game still has Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle in the mix, but the bigger question is how quickly the pieces fit together around a more dynamic approach, especially with a quarterback who has spent plenty of time in McCarthys world before. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Plan Already Feels More Fragile Than Expected
The quarterback picture in Atlanta already looks more unsettled than the label on the depth chart suggests. The Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa as their starter for the 2026 season opener, but his hold on the job comes with obvious caveats after a mixed preseason and a roster that still carries four quarterbacks, a sign the team is leaving itself room to adjust rather than locking anything in.
Michael Penix Jr. remains the looming factor, with the expectation that he will take over once healthy and ready to go. That leaves Tagovailoa in a familiar sort of pressure point: he has the opening nod, but not much margin for error, and every snap he takes early on may be judged against the possibility that the Falcons are simply buying time until Penix is available. [Read more 🡒]