Michael Penix Jr. enters Atlanta with a renewed mindset, steering a young Falcons offense who are banking on growth from a rebuilt core. He emphasizes shedding injury focus and embracing the grind, trusting the process and his faith as fuel for a season that could propel Atlanta back into the playoff conversation. In camp battles, Casey Washington has impressed enough to seemingly lock up a roster spot, and perhaps even a starting role with Darnell Mooney sidelined. Washington’s ongoing camp showings suggest a viable path to significant snaps as Atlanta look to maximize its depth at receiver while managing injury risk through the preseason grind.

The preseason backdrop adds intrigue: a Falcons-Titans showcase that doubles as a roster audition and a test of the WR depth chart. Atlanta’s roster construction around Penix, Washington, and Mooney glimmers as a turning point in the rebuild, while the Titans provide a stern early-season measure. All told, the Falcons appear poised to lean into a youthful, confident attack as they chase breakthrough performances and fantasy upside from their top playmakers.

The second week of the 2025 NFL preseason produced a revealing dress rehearsal for Titans and Falcons, with Tennessee leveraging young playmakers Ayomanor and Helm as they topped Atlanta 23-20. Ayomanor bounced back from a rough camp session to haul in two passes for 47 yards, flashing middle-field control, while Gunnar Helm carved out the seam with four catches for 48 yards and a 25-yard score against two Falcons defenders. Atlanta countered with a flurry of evaluation at receiver: David Sills V, Chris Blair, and Dylan Drummond all flashed, Blair fueling a highlight with a 52-yard TD on Easton Stick’s pass. Drummond has been targeted consistently in the two tune-ups, and Sills’ early series usage might have him in the 53-man mix. Casey Washington sat out Friday, a likely lock for the roster, while Easton Stick’s connection with Blair and Stick’s situational use provide a few fantasy pivots for late drafts. The nightcap slate and Saturday games highlighted a broader depth-chart reset across the league, with teams treating the second week as a bona fide dress rehearsal for the regular season and fantasy implications across WR rotations, back-end RBs, and special-teams roles.

The Titans’ rookie Ayomanor appears primed for a regular-season role after back-to-back preseasons in which he was put in motion at a high rate. He started as the Z in a reshaped Titans WR group that now features Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, and Van Jefferson, with Chimere Dike and Ayomanor adding speed and misdirection

Casey Washington’s Falcons rise as Darnell Mooney’s stand-in could reshape Week 1 targets in Tampa Bay, with Washington lapping up opportunities as the Falcons rested top names. D.J. Chark’s signing and Drake London’s absence in the latest game add dynamic depth to Atlanta’s receiver corps. In short, Ayomanor and Washington are two of the sneakiest deep-league wild cards entering 2025, with several Titans and Falcons pass-catchers poised to carve clear roles based on preseason usage.

Preseason evaluation usually centers on depth and roster decisions, but health took center stage Friday. Morice Norris’s scary hit forced a dramatic pivot as Detroit and Atlanta paused after Norris collapsed, later being stabilized and kept for observation. The moment shifted focus from 53-man cut buzz and rookie showcases to the stark realities of a violent game and the players’ wellbeing. The game was suspended with 6:19 left, leaving the Lions with a win on the scoreboard but a heavier burden on their minds.

In the aftermath, coaches and teammates reflected on the day’s seriousness while roster battles carried on in the backdrop. Lions QB Kyle Allen and Falcons peers like Emory Jones and Casey Washington were among players contending for spots, but a collective sense of brotherhood prevailed. Dan Campbell lauded Raheem Morris as a class act, emphasizing that, when a life and health come first, everything else fades. The incident underscored the delicate balance between football competitiveness and player safety as teams navigate rosters in the weeks ahead.