The Falcoholic
The team’s top three receivers all had career years in one way or another.
The difference a quarterback can make. Having Kirk Cousins before he entirely fell apart and then Michael Penix down the stretch gave Drake London and (arguably, at least) Darnell Mooney their best quarterbacking of their young careers, and they took full advantage of it. Hell, Ray-Ray McCloud went from roster hopeful to productive third receiver, so for all the justified angst over Cousins this passing game still had its huge bright spots.
The beautiful part? The Falcons need depth at receiver and could use a compelling, young third option, but their top three guys are all under contract for 2025 and get a full year with Penix under center. This team is well-positioned at the...well, position. Let’s talk about it our wide receiver review.
2024 stats: 100 receptions, 1,271 yards, 9 receiving touchdowns, 56.3% success rate, 63.3% catch rate, 12.7 yards per reception, 5 drops; 1 rushing attempt, -3 yards
We spent the past two years talking about what would happen if London wasn’t plagued by off-targets throws by the likes of Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, and Taylor Heinicke, and we found out in 2024. London’s willingness to bulldoze through contact, quality hands, and ability to make contested catches all made him intriguing and productive, but 2024 was his true breakout year.
London posted career highs in receptions (by 28 catches), yards (by 366 yards), and touchdowns (by five), drawing routinely high targets from Cousins and then especially from Penix, who threw him the ball 23 times in the season’s final two weeks. London’s previously underappreciated red zone utility as a big, sure-handed player with underrated route running skills was cemented by his performance this year, and his ability to win down the sideline and over the middle of the field endeared him to Penix, this team’s new franchise quarterback.
The arrow is pointing way up for London, in other words, and he’ll only be 24 years old this season. If all goes well, expect to see him dominating hapless defensive backs and reeling in Penix bombs for years to come.
2024 stats: 64 receptions, 992 yards, 5 receiving touchdowns, 51.9% success rate, 60.4% catch rate, 15.5 yards per reception, 6 drops
A handful of drops and miscues marred Mooney’s season, and injury cost him a game. Otherwise, his first season in Atlanta was a wild and unmitigated success, as a player Kirk Cousins and this front office fought hard to bring to the Falcons showed he was well worth the addition.
A lightning fast receiver and super smooth route runner, Mooney was a magician working downfield all season. He had seven games over 80 yards and averaged over 20 yards per reception three times, showing a winning rapport with Cousins and a quality one in that brief spell with Penix. Mooney’s...
