The Atlanta Falcons keep showing up on the wrong end of national lists this offseason, but one recent ranking at least put them in a more flattering light.
ESPN had already slotted Atlanta 22nd in under-25 talent and, a few weeks earlier, ranked the team’s starting lineup 29th in the NFL. That kind of treatment has become a theme around the Falcons all year, with the national conversation repeatedly pushing them toward the bottom of the pile.
Mike Jones of The Athletic took a different view in his latest list of the league’s most overrated and underrated teams heading into the 2026 season. Atlanta was the first team he mentioned in the underrated group.
"Kevin Stefanski inherits a team that features plenty of talent, with Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, Drake London, A.J. Terrell, Jessie Bates III, James Pearce and Xavier Watts leading the way. If he can figure out the quarterback situation (Michael Penix Jr. versus Tua Tagovailoa) and keep one of those two on the field, Atlanta could challenge for the division."
That kind of praise stands in contrast to the way the Falcons have been framed elsewhere, even if the division title path is hardly some towering mountain. Still, the roster has enough talent to suggest Atlanta should be aiming higher than simply being in the mix.
The biggest swing factor remains quarterback play. If Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix can deliver even average starter-level production, the offense has enough around them to be dangerous by January. The rest of the pieces are in place on that side of the ball.
There are questions on defense, too. Atlanta is a little light inside up front, and the status of edge rusher James Pearce looms large after he led the team in sacks in 2025.
A suspension longer than six games would be a major hit to Jeff Ulbrich’s front seven. Even so, the unit still has quality talent, especially on the back end.
The range of outcomes is wide. Atlanta’s ceiling is a 10-7 season and a Wild-Card upset at home. If injuries pile up at key spots and the quarterback situation never settles, the floor could be as low as 6-11.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Ran Into A Costly Divine Deablo Problem
The Falcons have already locked up Drake London and Kyle Pitts on long-term deals, but the next round of contract business is getting trickier. With Bijan Robinson and Divine Deablo still waiting for extensions, Atlanta is staring at a linebacker market that keeps moving, and the latest ripple came from Miami, where Jordyn Brooks reset the price for players at the position.
For Deablo, the timing matters as much as the market. He is entering a contract year and is expected to step into a bigger leadership role for Atlanta, which gives the Falcons a reason to keep him in the fold but also forces them to weigh how much that new responsibility should cost. The team has room to maneuver financially, yet the longer this drags on, the more leverage Deablo could gain before Atlanta decides whether to make a move. [Read more 🡒]
Schefter Just Dropped A Huge Hint About Atlanta's QB Battle
The Falcons quarterback picture has been one of the more closely watched storylines of the offseason, with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa both in the conversation as the team works through its plans under center. Adam Schefter added another layer to that discussion on his podcast, pointing to the kinds of signals front offices and coaches tend to send when they are leaning one direction, even if the competition is still technically alive.
Penixs recovery remains part of the backdrop, which is why this race has not fully settled into a simple answer yet. Still, the current read around Atlanta is that Tagovailoa has the edge, and the next stretch of the offseason will go a long way toward showing whether the Falcons are truly keeping the door open or already moving toward a more obvious pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
These Falcons Could Finally Get The Recognition Fans Have Wanted
The Falcons head into the 2026 season with more than just an eight-year playoff drought hanging over them. They also have a roster full of players who could finally start getting the kind of league-wide recognition Atlanta fans have been waiting on, from established names like A.J. Terrell and Drake London to younger pieces such as Xavier Watts and Jalon Walker. For a team trying to move from promising to proven, individual honors often become a sign that the broader rebuild is starting to stick.
A.J. Terrell already has the rsum of a top corner, while Divine Deablos impact has shown up when hes been on the field and Watts made a strong first impression as a rookie. Jalon Walker, meanwhile, flashed enough pass-rush production to look like a player whose profile could rise quickly if he stays on track. If the Falcons are going to get back into the postseason conversation, a few first-time Pro Bowl nods would be a good place to start, even if the final step still has to be earned on Sundays. [Read more 🡒]