Locker-room geography isn’t random in the NFL; teams place rookies beside veteran mentors to accelerate learning, and the Falcons’ Penix-Bates pairing is the prime example. The concept spans the league: J.J. McCarthy with Harrison Smith, Darius Slay and Quinyon Mitchell in Philly, Will Campbell and Morgan Moses in New England, and Puka Nacua near Rob Havenstein in Los Angeles. Coaches describe it as a mix of psychology and strategy, a deliberate way to accelerate development and foster real-time, on-field learning through proximity and dialogue.

The pattern isn’t without risk, but it’s celebrated for creating everyday mentorship moments: Penix learning to read routes from Bates; Nacua drawing off the diet and approach of Cooper Kupp and other Rams veterans; a Bengals locker shuffle near Joe Burrow; Cowboys wiring up CeeDee Lamb and Zack Martin with legacy players. Fantasy players should watch which rooks land near top performers, as proximity can translate into faster growth, early opportunities, and upside beyond preseason expectations.