RADIO
Michael Penix Jr. 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook: Rookie Set For Backup Role in Atlanta
6 months agoThe 2024 NFL Draft was buzzing when the Atlanta Falcons took Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed. Penix is already 24 years old after injuries dragged out his college eligibility. He tore the ACL in his right knee in 2018 and then re-tore it in 2020 before transferring to the University of Washington in December 2021, where he burst onto the scene with back-to-back seasons with 4,500 or more passing yards. His arm strength is spectacular but Washington's great offensive line also typically kept him clean. Penix doesn't have a clear path to playing time in Atlanta for the foreseeable future unless Cousins suffers a setback, which keeps the rookie off of redraft radars. A starting role alongside Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson would make him a top-20 QB, but he has to prove he can deliver while under pressure. Dynasty players with deep benches could consider him but he may not have a path to start until 2028.
