ATLANTA FALCONS NEWS

Justin Simmons - Still nursing hamstring injury Simmons (hamstring) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

Impact Simmons was able to play through a hamstring injury during the Falcons' Week 7 loss to the Seahawks, during which he logged five solo tackles and one pass breakup while playing 100 percent of Atlanta's defensive snaps. He'll likely be limited in practices for the foreseeable future in order to manage the injury, but barring any setbacks, Simmons should be able to play against the Buccaneers on Sunday.

OCTOBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Nate Landman - Now dealing with shoulder injury Landman (shoulder) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice session, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

Impact Landman was able to overcome a calf injury heading into Atlanta's Week 7 game against Seattle, during which he registered five tackles (one solo). He may have picked up a shoulder injury in the process, however, which limited his participation in Wednesday's practice. Landman will have two more chances this week to increase his practice participation and avoid an injury tag ahead of Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.

OCTOBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Troy Andersen - Limited in return to practice Andersen (knee) was listed as a limited participant on the Falcons' injury report Wednesday, Tori McElhaney of the team's official site reports.

Impact Andersen has missed the Falcons' last three games due to a knee injury he suffered in Week 4 against the Saints. He's been unable to practice since the injury, so his ability to participate in Wednesday's session -- albeit in limited fashion -- is a good step in the right direction for the 2022 second-round pick. Andersen's practice participation over the next two days will provide clarity on his status ahead of Atlanta's Week 8 game against Tampa Bay on Sunday.

OCTOBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Ross Dwelley - Not seeing much time on offense Dwelley logged eight of the Falcons' 73 snaps on offense in Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact Dwelley and fellow backup tight end Charlie Woerner (11 snaps) saw limited playing time behind starter Kyle Pitts (55 snaps), a trend that's likely to persist moving forward, especially when the Falcons fall into a negative game script. Though he should continue to suit up on most game days due to his blocking skills and ability to contribute on special teams, Dwelley is unlikely to draw many looks in the passing game from quarterback Kirk Cousins. Dwelley has yet to earn a target through Atlanta's first seven contests.

OCTOBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Avery Williams - Strictly special teams in Week 7 Williams brought back a kickoff for 21 yards and played all 23 of his snaps on special teams in Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact Though he's listed as a running back, Williams hasn't logged any touches out of the backfield since the 2022 season and is on the Falcons' roster solely due to his role a kickoff and punt returner. Until Sunday, Jase McClellan had been inactive as the Falcons' No. 4 running back, but the rookie sixth-round pick suited up against the Seahawks and ended up getting five carries in garbage time rather than Williams when Atlanta rested top backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier late in the game.

OCTOBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Avery Williams - Strictly special teams in Week 7 Williams brought back a kickoff for 21 yards and played all 23 of his snaps on special teams in Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact Though he's listed as a running back, Williams hasn't logged any touches out of the backfield since the 2022 season and is on the Falcons' roster solely due to his role as a kickoff and punt returner. Until Sunday, Jase McClellan had been inactive as the Falcons' No. 4 running back, but the rookie sixth-round pick suited up against the Seahawks and ended up getting five carries in garbage time, rather than Williams, when Atlanta rested top backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier late in the game.

OCTOBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Kaden Elliss - Nine tackles in loss Elliss recorded nine total tackles (three solo) in Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact Elliss led the Falcons in total takedowns against Seattle and he has now produced at least six tackles in six of seven games in 2024. Through seven contests this season, Elliss has compiled 53 total tackles (30 solo), a fumble recovery and a pass defensed.

OCTOBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Michael Penix Jr. - Throws first regular-season pass Penix completed his only pass attempt for 14 yards during Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact With the game out of hand, Penix made his NFL regular-season debut. He played seven offensive snaps and completed his only pass to fellow rookie Casey Washington. Despite Sunday's dud, Kirk Cousins has fully shaken off the early-season rust and revitalized Atlanta's offense, so Penix is relegated to backup duties for the foreseeable future.

OCTOBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Casey Washington - Records first career catch Washington caught his only target for 14 yards during Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact Washington appeared in Weeks 3 and 5 but operated exclusively on special teams. He saw his first career offensive snaps during garbage time of Sunday's blowout loss and secured his lone target from fellow rookie Michael Penix. Washington remains behind Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud and KhaDarel Hodge on Atlanta's wideout depth chart.

OCTOBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Younghoe Koo - Misses lone FG attempt Koo made both extra-point tries but missed his lone field-goal attempt during Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact Koo's lone field-goal attempt came from 54 yards out, and he's now 5-for-7 from beyond 50 this season. This was the first time the Falcons' offense failed to score at least 20 points since Week 3 against the Chiefs, but they should be able to move the ball against the Buccaneers' porous defense in Week 8, making Koo a bounce-back candidate.

OCTOBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Jase McClellan - Makes debut in blowout loss McClellan rushed five times for 17 yards during Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact McClellan made his NFL regular-season debut during garbage time of Sunday's blowout loss but failed to leave a lasting impression. Notably, the rookie played over Avery Williams, who's yet to log an offensive snap this season, but McClellan remains firmly behind Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier on the depth chart.

OCTOBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Ray-Ray McCloud - Minimal production in loss McCloud caught two of four targets for nine yards during Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact McCloud played over 80 percent of Atlanta's offensive snaps for a sixth straight game but finished with a season-low nine yards. His fantasy upside remains limited, but McCloud is only seven yards away from tying his season-long, career-high mark of 277 receiving yards, which he set in 2021 with Pittsburgh.

OCTOBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Darnell Mooney - Garners eight targets in loss Mooney secured five of eight targets for 46 yards during Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact Mooney saw at least eight targets for the third time this season, but his 9.2 yards per reception in Week 7 was his second-lowest mark of the campaign. With Kirk Cousins at the helm, Atlanta's passing attack has been fruitful, and Mooney has benefitted. However, Mooney remains the WR2 behind Drake London, with RB Bijan Robinson and TE Kyle Pitts also seeing their fair share of work in the passing attack.

OCTOBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Tyler Allgeier - Reverts to minor role in Week 7 Allgeier rushed five times for 36 yards and caught his lone target for nine yards during Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Impact After a season-best performance (18 rushes for 105 yards and a TD) last week against Carolina, Allgeier reverted to his usual reserve role. He played only 16 offensive snaps in the blowout loss, his fewest since Week 3, and Allgeier's six touches was his lowest mark since Week 1. Allgeier's performance against the Panthers looks like an outlier, but the backup running back still has fantasy value as an insurance policy for Bijan Robinson.

OCTOBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

QB Stock Market Week 8: How is Patrick Mahomes doing this? What is Brock Purdy doing?

Jared Goff is humming. Aaron Rodgers is spiraling. Russell Wilson is ... cooking? Here are Henry McKenna's latest QB rankings.

OCTOBER 22

Falcons still have work to do to challenge for a spot among the NFL's elite teams

A three-game winning streak had the Atlanta Falcons looking like a team that was poised to challenge for a spot among the NFL elite

OCTOBER 21 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Walker helps Seahawks achieve balance on offense in dominant win over Falcons

Seattle running back Kenneth Walker III overcame flu-like illness symptoms to score two touchdowns and lead Seattle to a 34-14 win over the Falcons in Atlanta

OCTOBER 21 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Troy Andersen - Returning to practice this week Andersen (knee) is expected to begin practicing Wednesday, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Impact Andersen has missed the Falcons' last three games after sustaining a knee injury in Atlanta's Week 4 win over the Saints. However, Ledbetter's report Monday suggests Andersen has a chance to suit up as soon as Week 8. The Montana State product's practice participation throughout the week will provide the best indication of whether he can return for Sunday's divisional matchup in Tampa Bay.

OCTOBER 21 • ROTOWIRE

NFL Week 7 highlights: Russell Wilson wins Steelers debut, Lions edge Vikings

Week 7 of the NFL season continued on Sunday. Here are the top plays of the day from start to finish.

OCTOBER 21

Russell Wilson flashes vintage form, and what else we learned in Week 7

FOX Sports' NFL experts pinpoint what we learned about each team from Sunday's games and what that means going forward.

OCTOBER 21

Drake London - Finds end zone again Sunday London secured six of eight targets for 63 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons' 34-14 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

Impact London finished as the runner-up in receptions and receiving yards right behind Kyle Pitts while tying Darnell Mooney for second in targets as well. The third-year pro also recorded a touchdown for the third straight game on a five-yard grab midway through the third quarter and now has exactly six catches in four of his last five games. London next takes aim at a Buccaneers secondary that he posted a season-best 12-154-1 line against during a Week 6 overtime home victory.

OCTOBER 20 • ROTOWIRE

Kyle Pitts - Leads Falcons pass catchers Sunday Pitts brought in seven of nine targets for 65 yards in the Falcons' 34-14 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

Impact Pitts led the Falcons in receptions, receiving yards and targets across the board while also tying a season high in catches. The gifted tight end appears to have found his groove in coordinator Zac Robinson's offense, as he now boasts three straight games with at least Sunday's 65 receiving yards and has brought in 17 of 22 targets in that span. Pitts should have a key role once again during a key Week 8 NFC South clash against the Buccaneers in Tampa.

OCTOBER 20 • ROTOWIRE

Kyle Pitts - Leads Falcons pass catchers Sunday Pitts brought in seven of nine targets for 65 yards in the Falcons' 34-14 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

Impact Pitts led the Falcons in receptions, receiving yards and targets while also tying a season high in catches. The gifted tight end appears to have found his groove in coordinator Zac Robinson's offense, as he now boasts three straight games with at least Sunday's 65 receiving yards and has brought in 17 of 22 targets in that span. Pitts should have a key role once again during a key Week 8 NFC South clash against the Buccaneers in Tampa.

OCTOBER 20 • ROTOWIRE

Bijan Robinson - Accrues 143 total yards in loss Robinson rushed 21 times for 103 yards and a touchdown and brought in three of five targets for 40 yards in the Falcons' 34-14 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

Impact Robinson enjoyed a true lead-back role despite the lopsided loss, outpacing backfield Tyler Allgeier by 16 carries. Robinson's carry total was actually a season high, and his receiving yardage tally was his third of at least 40 on the campaign. Robinson also recorded his third touchdown in the last two games with a five-yard run just past the midway point of the second quarter, affording him plenty of momentum heading into a key Week 8 road clash against the NFC South rival Buccaneers.

OCTOBER 20 • ROTOWIRE

Bijan Robinson - Accrues 143 total yards in loss Robinson rushed 21 times for 103 yards and a touchdown and brought in three of five targets for 40 yards in the Falcons' 34-14 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

Impact Robinson enjoyed a true lead-back role despite the lopsided loss, outpacing backfield mate Tyler Allgeier by 16 carries. Robinson's carry total actually was a season high, and his receiving yardage tally was his third of at least 40 on the campaign. He also recorded his third touchdown in the last two games with a five-yard run just past the midway point of the second quarter, affording him plenty of momentum heading into a key Week 8 road clash against the NFC South rival Buccaneers.

OCTOBER 20 • ROTOWIRE