Drake London's 2026 Fantasy Outlook is on the Upswing With Falcons Quarterback News
Drake London's 2026 Fantasy Outlook is on the Upswing With Falcons Quarterback News
If not for missing five games last season, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London would’ve undoubtedly finished as a top-10 fantasy wide receiver for a second straight year. By points per game across the board, standard, 0.5-point PPR, and full PPR, he was a top-10 fantasy receiver.
Drake London’s 2026 Fantasy Outlook Is On The Upswing With Falcons Quarterback News
Based on what he does best, in terms of downfield usage, contested catches, etc., Atlanta’s signing of Tua Tagovailoa this offseason was not good news for London. Tagovailoa’s best success with the Miami Dolphins was predicated on getting the ball out of his hands quickly with rhythm and timing, not standing in the pocket waiting for plays to develop downfield.
With Michael Penix working his way back from a torn ACL, the presumption all along has been that Tagovailoa would open the season as the Falcons’ starting quarterback. But he has not unequivocally been given the reins of the job this preseason, and Penix recently ramped to 11-on-11 work in practice.
Teams don’t play very many, if any, of their starters in the preseason finale. So this news on Wednesday from ESPN’s Adam Schefter is notable.
“Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr will not play in Friday night’s preseason finale vs the Miami Dolphins, per HC Kevin Stefanski.”
Beyond that, Tagovailoa is slated to make the start against his former team.
There is the injury recovery layer in play with Penix. There’s no need to risk a setback in the most meaningless of preseason games. But on the other hand, he could very well be the Week 1 starter, and that’s fantastic news for fantasy managers who have invested (or will invest) a draft pick in London.
As expected, Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski was not willing to name a Week 1 starting quarterback.
“I’m not going to get into Week 1,” Stefanski said. “Obviously, I’m best served, and we’re best served, by keeping it day-to-day and focusing on what’s in front of us. Really, this was an important week for Mike — first time out there with people around you, the offensive line, the defensive line. I think going through a drill where you’ve got to move up in the pocket, or get chased out of the pocket, whatever it is.”
Jul 29, 2026; Atlanta, Falcons, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski addresses the media prior to the start of training camp at IBM Performance Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Why Drake London’s fantasy stock is on the rise if Michael Penix is the Falcons QB
After Kirk Cousins became fully ineffective coming off a torn Achilles tendon the previous season, Penix started the final three games of his rookie season in 2024. In those games, London had target shares of 29.6, 37.1, and 47.3 percent with a total target share of 39 percent.
Aug 14, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
In nine games together last season, before Penix suffered his most recent knee injury, London had 94 targets on the southpaw signal caller’s 166 pass attempts, good for a 56.6 percent target share. Remove Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, when Penix had just 21 pass attempts, and London had just four targets in a game the Falcons easily controlled throughout, and it balloons to a 62.1 percent target share in the other eight games.
London’s 17-game pace last season in the games Penix started? 113 receptions for 1,530 yards and 11 touchdowns. That’s 332 fantasy points in full-point PPR, which would have yielded a finish as the WR3.
2024’s small sample with Penix as the Falcons quarterback, especially with a Week 18 game in the mix, would’ve been easy to brush off as unsustainable for London. Then last year’s larger, but still-truncated, sample happened, and there was an uptick in overall target share from Penix for Atlanta’s No. 1 wide receiver.
This side of tight end Kyle Pitts, London is still unthreatened as the No. 1 target in the Falcons’ passing attack this year. Now, the quarterback he has a great rapport with, rooted in not being afraid to give him 50-50 balls downfield, is in line to start at least sooner rather than later, if not Week 1.
London is already being drafted as a top-eight fantasy wide receiver and in the top-20 overall picks. With Penix under center, assuming health (which is a big assumption) for all or most of this season, the ceiling is raised in-kind.