Atlanta’s defensive rebuild is paying early dividends. After two weeks, the Falcons sit near the top in total yards allowed, scoring, and turnover margin, powered by a 2024 defensive class (Orhorhoro, Dorlus) and a 2025 rookie edge group (Walker, Pearce Jr.) along with Watts and Bowman Jr. The defense is dictating games, with Floyd providing veteran pressure as the youngsters learn on the fly.

ESPN’s column captures a pivotal shift: rookies in four roles have thrived, reviving a once-weak pass rush and secondary. While the offense hasn’t found a seamless rhythm yet, the defense looks sustainable and playoff-capable. Penix isn’t required to push the ball; the team’s balance is improving, and skeptics are being won over through early results.

The Falcons’ trajectory hinges on staying healthy and maintaining this complementary dynamic—stingy defense feeding an offense that’s still ironing out its execution. The next test will reveal whether this is a true turnaround or a promising start that needs confirmation.

The Falcons’ offseason focus on bolstering the pass rush produced immediate dividends, piling pressure on JJ McCarthy for six sacks and 16 total pressures. Young playmakers like Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. delivered their first career sacks, while Bowman and Xavier Watts each posted their first INTs. Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus added first career sacks as Atlanta’s defense dominated the Vikings in a night of disruption.

The Vikings were knocked off balance in every phase, finishing with under 200 yards, no touchdown, multiple miscues, and a surge of penalties. The Falcons’ newfound defensive identity flashed as a potential weekly fantasy factor, with multiple players rising as viable streaming options in leagues that prize sacks, turnovers, and big plays.

Atlanta leans into a young, hungry defense for 2025, with Jessie Bates III guiding a room still learning the pro game. Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. are slated for heavy rookie exposure, while Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus figure to clash for interior roles beside veteran David Onyemata. Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. add nickel and edge versatility as the unit reshapes its identity. Head coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich have spoken openly about development, signaling a rotation-first path as the defense grows up together.

The message from camp is clear: Bates sets the tempo, the rookies earn trust, and the defense aims to translate summer buzz into Week 1 impact. With Orhorhoro guided by the staff but not guaranteed a starter’s seat, Atlanta bets on growth over instant chemistry, betting on the sum of its parts becoming a cohesive force by midseason.

Second-round rookie deals ended up with historic guarantees, reshaping the NFL rookie market and offering more security for fantasy rooks. Seven second-rounders received fully guaranteed contracts in 2025, with projections topping last year and driving a domino effect that could reach later rounds. The Saints’ Tyler Shough inked a fully guaranteed No. 40 deal with a unique yearly roster bonus, triggering a broader shift in how teams structure early guarantees and signaling more stable rookie value in dynasty and keeper leagues.

Meanwhile, the ripple effects hit teams across the league as more second-rounders push for higher guarantees, while some gamesmanship around signing bonuses and offsets lingers. NIL-era financial literacy and dealer-agents helped move the market, underscoring how leverage and timing can pay dividends for rookies and their fantasy upside as contracts mature into potential fourth-year extensions.