TL;DR
- Atlanta Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. has a partially torn ACL and will miss the 2025 season.
- Drake London also suffered a knee injury but is not considered serious, though he may miss Week 12.
- Darnell Mooney will step up as the primary wide receiver for the Falcons.
- Kyle Pitts and other receivers like Casey Washington and David Sills may see increased targets.
The Atlanta Falcons have been dealt a pair of injury blows on the offensive side of the ball with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. And wide receiver Drake London.
Penix suffered a knee injury in the Week 11 loss to the Carolina Panthers that has now been diagnosed as a partially torn ACL, the team announced on Wednesday. He will miss the rest of the 2025 campaign.
Regarding London, he also suffered a knee injury during Week 11, though it's not considered a serious injury and he's expected to return to play this season.
That said, he might not be cleared for Week 12 action. The Falcons have provided the most recent injury report.
Is Drake London slated to play in Week 12?
According to Tori McElhaney of AtlantaFalcons.com, head coach Raheem Morris stated that London is unlikely to play in Week 12.
"Raheem Morris said he does not expect Drake London to play this weekend in New Orleans," McElhaney reported.
"You have to protect Drake from Drake, too, sometimes," Morris said of his wide receiver.
London was initially classified as week-to-week due to a PCL concern, so it wouldn't be unexpected if he sits out more than a single contest.
Who is the backup for Drake London?
As London is out, Darnell Mooney steps up as the Falcons' primary wide receiver, making him a strong fantasy football choice, particularly given his standout 2024 season with Kirk Cousins as his quarterback.
The Falcons will require a stronger performance from tight end Kyle Pitts, in addition to Mooney, despite his unimpressive history with Cousins.
Beyond those two, Casey Washington and David Sills could both see more looks, but neither one is a suggested lineup option moving forward.
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