The Atlanta Falcons have plenty to figure out before the 2026 NFL season arrives in September. The team has a handful of new starters on both sides of the football. The Falcons added six players in the 2026 NFL Draft, including cornerback Avieon Terrell and wide receiver Zachariah Branch.
Plus, the team signed a quarterback, two wide receivers and a new starting right tackle in free agency. Former first-round pick Kaleb McGary surprisingly retired, but the Falcons quickly signed former Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor as a replacement.
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The Falcons wrapped up their first week of OTAs, but their work has only just begun. Here’s our projected Week 1 starting lineup on offense, including Pro Football Focus grades for each player.
Falcons starting offense with PFF grades
QB Michael Penix Jr.: 59.3
WR Zachariah Branch: 82.0
I think Branch will be the team’s long-term No. 2 receiver, but as you can see, I have the rookie starting out in the slot this season. That’s partly due to the team signing former first-round pick Jahan Dotson to a two-year, $15 million contract, featuring $10 million guaranteed.
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 1: At Pittsburgh Steelers
(Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 1: At Pittsburgh Steelers
(Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 2: Carolina Panthers
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 3: At Green Bay Packers (Thursday Night Football)
(Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 4: At New Orleans Saints (Monday Night Football)
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 5: Baltimore Ravens (Sunday Night Football)
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 6: Chicago Bears
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 7: San Francisco 49ers
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 8: At Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 9: Cincinnati Bengals (Madrid)
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 10: Kansas City Chiefs
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 11: Falcons on bye week
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 12: At Minnesota Vikings
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 13: Detroit Lions
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 14: At Cleveland Browns
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 15: At Washington Commanders
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 16: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 17: New Orleans Saints
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Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL regular season schedule
Week 18: At Carolina Panthers
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This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons projected starting lineup on offense in 2026