The Falcons are heading into Sunday’s opener in Pittsburgh with Tua Tagovailoa installed as the starting quarterback, but the message around his role is clear: nothing is locked in beyond Week 1.
Atlanta opens the 2026 NFL season on the road against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers, and Tagovailoa knows the pressure comes with the territory. He told reporters on Wednesday, "What I can control is how I prepare, how I go out there, how I play, how I perform, and that's all I can do,".
The Week 1 depth chart also puts a pair of rookies in prominent spots. Second-round pick Avieon Terrell is listed as the starting nickel, and Kendal Daniels is set to start next to Divine Deablo at inside linebacker.
Third-round pick Zachariah Branch is behind Olamide Zaccheaus in the slot, but he’ll handle punt returns. Brian Robinson, meanwhile, is Atlanta’s kick returner.
On offense, the Falcons are rolling out Bijan Robinson at running back with Drake London, Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus at receiver. Kyle Pitts and Charlie Woerner are the tight ends, and the line from left to right is Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Ryan Neuzil, Chris Lindstrom and Jawaan Taylor.
The defensive front shows Cameron Thomas and Brandon Dorlus at the ends with Maason Smith and LaCale London inside. Divine Deablo and Kendal Daniels are the inside linebackers, with A.J. Terrell, Mike Hughes and Avieon Terrell in the secondary alongside Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts.
Atlanta’s special teams units list Nick Folk at kicker, Jake Bailey at punter and Liam Mccullough at long snapper, with Brian Robinson returning kicks and Zachariah Branch handling punts.
In Other News...
Raheem Morris Just Made Falcons Fans Revisit What Never Clicked
Raheem Morris first game running the 49ers defense gave Falcons fans a familiar kind of sting, only from the other side of the sideline. After being fired in Atlanta, Morris stepped into his new role as San Franciscos defensive coordinator and immediately helped his unit bottle up the Los Angeles Rams, holding Matthew Stafford to 155 passing yards with one interception and a 61.2 passer rating.
For Atlanta, the contrast is hard to ignore because Morris best work has always seemed to come when hes focused on defense, not the broader demands of being a head coach. He did not call defensive plays during his time with the Falcons, and his debut in San Francisco only adds to the sense that the job hes doing now may have been the one that fit him all along. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Safety Depth Suddenly Hinges On A Player Fans Barely Know
The Falcons safety room has been quietly shifting, and DeMarcco Hellams is one of the reasons why. Secondary coach Justin Hood said Hellams looks the best he has in his three years with the team, a notable development for a fourth-year player who has been around since being drafted in 2023 but has often lived on the edges of the conversation. This summer, though, Hellams earned a spot on Atlantas 53-man roster for the 2025 season and has kept finding ways to stay involved on both special teams and defense.
What makes the rise more interesting is how much the Falcons have leaned on him when the depth chart has been tested. Hood pointed to improvement in Hellams discipline, and the coaching staff has already given him more responsibility, including first-team reps when a starter was out injured. For a player many fans may still be getting to know, the next stretch could say a lot about how much trust Atlanta is prepared to place in him. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons QB Situation Could Put Tua On Shaky Ground Fast
The Falcons are heading into the 2026 season with an uneasy quarterback picture, and it goes beyond just one players health. Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are both dealing with injuries, and the situation has created a roster crunch that could force Atlanta into some uncomfortable decisions before the year even settles in.
Tua is currently the starter, but if Penix gets back healthy, the Falcons could wind up preferring a group that includes Penix, Cooper Rush and Jack Strand instead. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted there is a strong possibility Atlanta could release Tagovailoa if he ends up on the bench, which would leave a former starter suddenly looking expendable depending on how the depth chart shakes out. [Read more 🡒]