Falcons Receivers Have Elite Talent, But There's Still a Problem

The Atlanta Falcons just secured their two best pass catchers by extending Kyle Pitts and Drake London's contracts. They are clearly trying to keep their offensive weapons happy while they figure out an answer at the quarterback position.

With Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix fighting for the starting job, let’s take a look at who they will be throwing to this year.

Receivers:

Drake London: The alpha in the receiver room and the Falcons' clear go-to option. London just signed a four-year, $141 million extension to stay with the team through the 2030 season.

After being drafted by the team eighth overall in the 2022 draft, London has over 300 receptions for nearly 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns. His six-foot-four frame makes him a matchup nightmare for defensive backs and gives his quarterbacks a large target to throw to.

He will once again be the starting X receiver for the Falcons, but will move all over the place. He spent 36% of his time in the slot in 2025, according to PFF. Expect a big year out of London, no matter who is throwing him the ball.

Jahan Dotson: Dotson joins the Falcons after signing a 2-year, $15 million contract in free agency to come to Atlanta. He was drafted by the Washington Commanders and played there for two years before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he has spent the past two seasons.

Wide Receiver Jahan Dotson was signed to replace Darnell Mooney who struggled with the Atlanta Falcons in 2025. | Scott Kennedy

The former first-round pick had two solid years with the Commanders, posting back-to-back 500-yard campaigns before being traded to the Eagles. While in Philly, Dotson struggled to get targets in an offense that consistently ranked in the bottom half of the league in pass percentage and had two other elite pass catchers in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

Dotson will most likely serve as the Falcons' primary Z receiver. His 4.4 speed allows him to take the top off of the defense, and he will be the main deep-ball target for the Falcons this season.

Zachariah Branch: The rookie out of the University of Georgia, Branch joins the Falcons after being drafted with the 79th overall pick of the 2026 NFL draft. A five-star recruit out of high school, Branch played his first two seasons at USC before transferring to Georgia, where he caught 81 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns.

Standing at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Branch is not the biggest receiver, but what he lacks in size he makes up for in speed and quickness. He ran a 4.35 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and possesses elite elusiveness with the ball in his hands.

He will most likely find his role as a slot receiver for the Falcons, where the emphasis will be on getting the ball in his hands and letting him do the rest. He will also probably serve as the team's kick and punt returner, something he excelled at during his time in college. I expect Branch to outplay his draft position, and his electrifying play style will make him an instant fan favorite in Atlanta.

Olamide Zaccheaus: A familiar name for Falcons fans, Zaccheaus is returning to Atlanta after spending the last three seasons with three different teams following his departure from Atlanta in 2023. He signed a 2-year, $4.5 million contract to rejoin the Falcons.

Zacchaeus spent his first four seasons in Atlanta and was a productive slot receiver for the team. He now rejoins the team as a veteran presence in the locker room and a guy who has played in multiple systems over his NFL career. His quickness and reliable hands are what Falcons fans should look forward to, although he has struggled with some drops over the past two seasons.

I expect Branch to eventually beat out Zaccheaus for the starting slot position on the team, but he should be the fourth receiver on the depth chart, and his veteran presence makes him a solid depth piece.

Others: The talent and depth of the receiver room really drops off after Zaccheaus, with a handful of familiar and new names filling out the roster. If Dotson can come into himself in a new situation and Branch can step up in year one, the position should be fine, but it could run into problems if injuries start to rack up.

Tight Ends:

Kyle Pitts Sr.: The lack of receiver depth is helped by having a pass-catching tight end like Pitts on the roster. Because of this, the Falcons just signed Pitts to a three-year, $54 million contract to keep him with the team through 2028.

At 6-foot-6 with 4.4 speed, Pitts is a great receiving threat with a large catch radius. Pitts had a breakout year last season following some disappointing years. The former fourth overall pick caught 88 passes for 928 yards and five touchdowns.

His ability as a pass catcher allows him to line up anywhere on the field, and head coach Kevin Stefanski said he plans to use Pitts' versatility. Pitts lined up at tight end 57.2% of his snaps in 2025, the highest number of his career. In 2023, Pitts only lined up at tight end 21.7% of the time, with the balance coming at slot and wide receiver.

In the past, Pitts has not seen as much success while sharing the field with London, so that will be something to keep an eye on this season with a new offensive system in place.

Austin Hooper: Another familiar name for Falcons fans, Hooper will also be rejoining his former team. Hooper had his two most successful years in Atlanta with Pro-Bowl seasons in 2018 and 2019. Hooper signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract in the offseason.

After leaving Atlanta, Hooper joined Stefanski with the Cleveland Browns and has had six solid seasons with four different teams. He most recently spent the past two years with the New England Patriots, where he was a reliable option for them. In his 10-year NFL career, Hooper has racked up 430 catches for 4,441 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Hooper will offer a veteran presence for the offense and will be the secondary receiving tight end behind Pitts. With just a career 3.3% drop rate, Falcons fans should welcome back Hooper as a reliable tight end option.

Charlie Woerner: Woerner will round out the Falcons' tight end options and will primarily be used as a blocker in 12 and 13-personnel. He has been with the Falcons for the last two years in a similar role.

The University of Georgia graduate has just 26 catches for 214 yards in his six-year NFL career, but is an elite blocker. At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, with good movement skills, Woerner has made a career for himself as a blocking tight end.

Falcons fans shouldn’t expect much from him in the passing game, but an elite blocking tight end is never a bad thing to have on the roster. It could be fun to see Woerner catch his first career touchdown this season, so keep an eye out for him.

Running Backs:

Bijan Robinson: Robinson led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 2025, and a big reason why was his profiencey as a receiver. He caught 79 passes last season, second most among running backs to Christian McCaffrey's 102. His 6.3 yards per touch last season led all running backs who had at least 65 rushes and receptions combined.

Brian Robinson Jr.: The new face in the backfield, Brian Robinson will be asked to take over the power back role vacated by Tyler Allgeier who left as a free agent. Allgeier averaged 15 receptions per year in his four years with the Falcons with a high of 18 in 2023.

Robinson Jr. had 36 catches as the feature back in Washington in 2023 and should provide more of a threat as a receiver out of the backfield.

The Verdict:

Overall, the Falcons' pass-catching unit has elite talent, but they lack depth, particularly at wide receiver.

Without a clear starting quarterback, how the receivers builds chemistry with whoever wins the starting job will be something to keep an eye on during the 2026 season.

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