Who Should I Start? Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix Jr.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Kirk Cousins News
Wednesday, March 11, 12:15 PM
The Atlanta Falcons officially released veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN. The 37-year-old four-time Pro Bowler spent the last two seasons in Atlanta, where he threw for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions in 24 games (22 starts). He was benched late in the 2024 campaign in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. and entered last season as the clear backup. Cousins ended up starting eight games for the Falcons in 2025 due to Penix's season-ending knee injury. He had a few notable performances, but overall, he looked more like a QB nearing the end of his career. Cousins had 1,721 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and five picks for the Falcons last year. He'll be an option to reunite with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason, but a starting job isn't going to be guaranteed, no matter where Cousins resurfaces for the 2026 campaign.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.2 | 9.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Michael Penix Jr. News
Tuesday, March 10, 2:06 PM
The NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reports that when Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) recovers from his torn ACL, it will be an "open competition" at QB between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa. Both signal-callers have struggled to stay healthy -- Penix with three torn ACLs and Tagovailoa with multiple serious concussions -- but Tagovailoa has more experience and a Pro Bowl nod under his belt in his six years in the NFL. The former fifth overall pick out of Alabama led the league in passing yards in 2023, but has struggled the last two seasons and has failed to top the 3,000-yard mark. It's low risk for the Falcons since Tagovailoa will be on a veteran's minimum in 2026, and it gives the team a chance to push Penix once he's healthy and ready to go. The problem for Penix is that if he's not physically ready to play to begin the season and Tagovailoa looks good as the starter, he might not have a chance to win the job back. It will be an interesting battle to watch later this summer in an offense with plenty of weapons now being run by a bright offensive mind in Kevin Stefanski.
Kirk Cousins vs. Michael Penix Jr.
Still trying to decide between Cousins and Penix Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kirk Cousins is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Michael Penix Jr. is projected to score 19.2 points.
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