Ian Cunningham’s first draft in charge of the Falcons is already paying off in a few different ways, and Zachariah Branch keeps adding to the argument that the front office saw something others didn’t.
Atlanta spent the 79th pick in the 2026 Draft on the former Georgia standout, betting on speed, versatility and a role that could grow beyond the gadget touches he handled in college. That pick raised eyebrows for some, especially after Branch’s lone season with the Bulldogs featured a heavy dose of quick passes and screens rather than a steady outside workload.
At 5-foot-8 and 177 pounds at the NFL Combine, he didn’t exactly fit the traditional mold. But the Falcons had a plan, and they’ve been leaning into it.
Branch has already carved out a major role on special teams as the primary return man, and now he’s starting to push harder for a larger share of the offense too. Through the first two weeks, he was barely involved on that side of the ball, logging 32 offensive snaps total, with 18 in Week 1 and 14 in Week 2. Week 3 didn’t give him his biggest snap count, but it may have delivered his clearest case yet for a bigger role.
In Atlanta’s 35-14 win over the Green Bay Packers, Branch got meaningful work as the WR3 during stretches of the first two drives. That matters because it suggests the split with Olamide Zaccheus is tightening, and it may not be long before Branch is the full-time slot starter over him.
The snap count still favored Zaccheus, 24 to 13, but the game flow helps explain that. The Falcons controlled the night from the start, unlike the first two weeks when they spent more time chasing the game. And even with fewer opportunities, Branch made his presence felt.
He finished with one catch for seven yards on two targets, while Zaccheus had two catches for nine yards. The box score doesn’t separate them much. The difference came in a less obvious area: Branch’s work as a blocker in the run game.
Pro Football Focus credited Branch with an 83.3 run blocking grade, the best on the team despite him logging just five snaps in that phase. That grade topped players like Chris Lindstrom and Charlie Woerner, and it also outpaced Zaccheus. For a player known for burst and return ability, that’s another box checked.
The Falcons’ run game was rolling all night, with Bijan Robinson rushing for 194 yards and powering the offense. But Branch had a hand in that too. On one key play, Robinson bounced to the right side, made a defender miss in the backfield and ripped off a big gain only after Branch delivered a strong downfield block on Packers DB Keisean Nixon.
That’s the kind of detail that makes a coaching staff trust a young receiver more. Branch isn’t just flashing speed or handling return duties. He’s finding more ways to stay on the field, and with each week, the pick looks a little smarter.
In Other News...
Falcons Fans Already Have A Coaching Debate They Didnt Expect
The first month of the season has already given Falcons fans something to chew on beyond the usual quarterback chatter: a coaching comparison they probably did not expect this soon. Atlanta brought in Kevin Stefanski to lead the way, and while the Falcons are 1-2, they did at least give themselves a timely lift with a primetime win over the Green Bay Packers. It is early, but the results are already inviting a conversation about how the new era in Atlanta is taking shape.
Elsewhere, Klint Kubiak has his new team rolling in Las Vegas, where the Raiders are 3-0 after a recent win over the New Orleans Saints. The parallel is hard for Atlanta fans to miss, since both hires were meant to steer their franchises in a new direction, and one of those directions is off to a much hotter start. For now, the Falcons can lean on the fact that Stefanski has already delivered a big-stage win, but the broader debate around the two coaching moves is only getting started. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Added To A Quarterback Debate Fans Will Enjoy
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Kirk Cousins has been the steadier name in the group, guiding the Raiders offense with the kind of efficient play that keeps a team on schedule and a front office comfortable. For Atlanta, that kind of quarterback debate matters because it adds another layer to the league-wide picture of how quickly things can change at the position, and why every strong or shaky stretch gets noticed. The Falcons are still watching the broader discussion take shape, and the next few weeks should help clarify which of these passers is actually trending in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Enter Saints Showdown With Something They Have Been Missing
The Falcons head into Monday night with a little momentum and a much-needed sense of life after their 35-14 road win over the Green Bay Packers. Michael Penix Jr. was back at quarterback, and Atlanta got strong outings from Bijan Robinson and Drake London, a combination that gave the offense a cleaner, more balanced look than it had shown earlier in the season.
Now comes a division matchup with New Orleans, and both teams arrive at 1-2 needing a reset more than a spotlight. The Saints are coming off a 35-27 loss to the Raiders, even with Chris Olave, Juwan Johnson and Tyler Shough providing some offense, so this one feels like an early chance for Atlanta to build on its best performance and see whether the pieces that clicked last week can hold up in a bigger spot. [Read more 🡒]