The Falcons came out of Week 1 with a loss to the Steelers, but the bigger takeaway for Atlanta may be how its rookie class handled its first real NFL test. The 20-13 defeat at Acrisure Stadium was ugly early because of a brutal start from Cooper Rush, yet it also offered the first regular-season look at a group that turned heads all summer.
Atlanta’s 2026 draft class entered the opener with plenty of momentum from training camp, and a few of those young players carried that into Sunday. Others barely got a chance to show anything at all. With the exception of Anterio Thompson, who was placed on the active/NFI list at the start of training camp, here’s where the Falcons’ rookies stand after one week.
Avieon Terrell had one of the cleaner debuts of the bunch. The second-round pick from Clemson opened the week as the starting nickel on the initial depth chart, but the actual usage was more of a split role with Sydney Brown, who handled traditional run downs while the rookie came on in passing situations.
That arrangement worked well enough for Atlanta. Terrell didn’t play a huge number of snaps, but he held Steelers rookie Germie Bernard catch-less, did a solid job on Roman Wilson, and allowed just one catch for 10 yards.
Pro Football Focus had him fifth on the team in both tackling grade, at 73.0, and coverage grade, at 68.1.
Verdict: Stock slightly up
Zachariah Branch had a quieter box score, but that doesn’t mean he disappeared from the game entirely. The Georgia wideout, taken 79th overall, is currently fourth on the Falcons’ receiver depth chart behind Drake London, Jahan Dotson, and Olamide Zaccheus, and Sunday did little to change that pecking order from an offensive standpoint.
He finished without a catch, a target, or a reception. Still, Branch found a way to contribute in the return game.
His first NFL touch was a 66-yard kick return that got wiped out by a holding penalty, but he still finished with three punt returns for 33 yards and another kick return for 30 yards.
Verdict: Stock slightly up
Kendal Daniels had the most to prove of any Falcons rookie in the opener, and Atlanta leaned on him. The fourth-round pick from Oklahoma entered the game as a starter on the initial depth chart, and with Christian Harris a healthy scratch, Daniels logged a heavy workload next to Divine Deablo at roughly a 67% snap share.
The traits showed up. So did the rough edges.
Daniels flashed his athleticism, looked comfortable in coverage, and made a couple of good plays, but his tackling was shaky, including two costly misses. PFF gave him a 27.6 tackling grade, the worst on the team.
The Falcons asked a lot from a converted safety, and this looked like a debut that should get better with time.
Verdict: Stock neutral
Harold Perkins Jr. also got a real chance to contribute, and he made the most of it. The sixth-round pick was not on the field nearly as much as Daniels, but with Harris out, he rotated in more than you might expect for a player picked outside the top 200.
Perkins played 33% of the snaps and took advantage of all 24 of his reps. That was enough to give him a clear Week 1 boost.
Verdict: Stock up
Anterio Thompson remains the biggest unknown in the group. He has not been activated, missed all of training camp, and sat out the opener, leaving no real way to judge where things stand. Until he gets healthy and gets on the field, this one looks like a miss.
Verdict: Stock down
Ethan Onianwa, meanwhile, is still in the developmental-tackle category. So while he wasn’t a healthy scratch, it wasn’t exactly surprising that he didn’t play a snap in the loss. For now, not much has changed there.
In Other News...
Kevin Stefanski Just Made Atlanta's QB Mess Even More Intriguing
Kevin Stefanskis decision to take the Falcons job gives Atlanta a new voice at a time when the quarterback situation is already unsettled. The roster has been dealing with injuries to Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, leaving the position in a murky spot, but Stefanski still viewed the opportunity as one worth taking over other options, including the Tennessee Titans.
For Atlanta, that makes the hire about more than just the present tense. Stefanski is clearly looking at the bigger picture, seeing enough potential in the roster to believe the QB issue can be addressed over time, including through the draft. The immediate questions around who will actually run the offense are still there, but the long-term plan just became a lot more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have A Backup QB Decision They Cant Ignore
Quarterback depth has become a real issue for Atlanta, and it is the kind of problem that can force a front office to act before the season gets away from it. The Falcons are dealing with injuries and uncertainty at the position, which naturally has them surveying the market for a steadier backup plan behind the starter.
Mason Rudolph has emerged as a logical name to watch because Pittsburghs decision to carry four quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster leaves room for questions about how long that group can stay intact. A trade would not be automatic, and Atlanta would still have to weigh the cost against the value of added insurance, but the possibility alone underscores how quickly the Falcons quarterback situation has moved from concern to something they cant ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Uncertainty Just Got Real Before Panthers Opener
The Falcons quarterback situation has gone from a talking point to a genuine pregame decision as they settle in for Sundays home opener against the Panthers. Desmond Rush and Michael Penix Jr. split first-team reps in practice Wednesday, a sign Atlanta is still weighing its options after opening the season with a loss, while Carolina arrives with the same one-game blemish on its record.
For a team trying to steady itself early, the uncertainty only adds to the pressure of a divisional matchup that already carries extra weight. Tua Tagovailoa did not practice because of injury, leaving Atlanta to sort through its depth chart and decide how much continuity matters versus the need for a spark in front of its home crowd. [Read more 🡒]