Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. posted modest numbers in Sunday night's loss to the Commanders. He finished with 223 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT on 19-of-35 passing. That's 54.3% completions and 6.4 yards per attempt against a Washington defense that entered the game ranked just 20th in pass DVOA. But Penix did pilot a scoring drive late in the fourth quarter to tie the game and then helped set up what would have been the game-winning FG attempt at the end of regulation (which fell short).
HC Raheem Morris: "I love the kid. I love the kid’s fight. I love the kid’s desire. I mean, anybody that can go out there and stand in the face of adversity and throw that strike like he threw to Kyle Pitts to give us an opportunity to win that football game. That’s what it’s about. … He represents everything that’s good about us."
Penix has showed some good things through two starts.
Pitts had his best fantasy outing (4-44-1 on 5 targets) since Week 8 on Sunday. And WR Drake London (7-106) reached 100 yards for just the second time all year.
But the rookie QB has also come up short of 230 yards and totaled 1 TD pass against two below-average defenses.
That makes him a weak fantasy bet for the Week 18 home date with Carolina.
Penix will be interesting as a best-ball stack with Drake London and/or Darnell Mooney -- as long as the market doesn't overvalue him.
If we can get Penix anywhere from about QB18 down in best ball ADP, he'll be worth some shots.
It's pretty clear that Morris has been pleased with Penix's performance through two games. And Atlanta clearly drafted him to be the QB for the foreseeable future.
Penix will open next season as Atlanta's starter, with an attractive supporting cast of skill-position players and an offense that's likely to lean back toward the pass after going run-heavy late this season to counter Kirk Cousins' decline.
The QB also carries the limitation of not being a dual-threat, though. That limits the fantasy upside.
Penix carries Tua Tagovailoa-type fantasy upside. Expect spike-week potential but also a scoring average outside the position's top 12.
That could be enough to make Penix a buyable dynasty asset this offseason. But his early ascension to the starting job has likely boosted his stock vs. where it was a month or two ago.
Just don't overspend if you pursue him.
London's a bit easier to trust for Week 18 in PPR leagues after going 5-59 on 8 targets and 7-106 on 13 targets in Penix's first two starts.
Pitts has still given us more bad than good this season.
Mooney followed a solid game vs. the Giants (5-82 on 6 targets) with a weak outing at Washington (2-37 on 5 targets). He looks like a fantasy WR4 for Week 18.
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