Who Should I Start? Olamide Zaccheaus or John Metchie III

Thursday, August 27, 9:42 AM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has quietly improved his redraft outlook by holding onto a starting role as the preseason winds down. Atlanta's latest unofficial depth chart still lists Zaccheaus with the first team, ahead of rookie Zachariah Branch in the slot. The game usage has backed that up. In the preseason opener, Zaccheaus played six of eight first-team snaps with Tua Tagovailoa, while Branch saw just one. The Falcons then sat Zaccheaus, Drake London, and Jahan Dotson against Indianapolis, and Branch remained mostly with the reserves. Zaccheaus also moved outside during a two-minute drill in joint practices so Atlanta could get Branch onto the field in the slot, showing there is at least a path for both to play. The 29-year-old caught 39 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns with Chicago last season after posting 45 catches for 506 yards and three scores with Washington in 2024. London, Dotson, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson will limit the ceiling, and Branch remains a threat to earn more work. Still, Zaccheaus has done enough to enter Week 1 as the favorite for a meaningful complementary role.