We're probably looking at Tagovailoa opening the 2026 season as the Falcons' starting quarterback, giving him modest appeal in Superflex/two-QB leagues. From 2022-24, he averaged around 20 Fantasy points per game (six-point TDs) before nosediving in 2025 to 14.3. The Falcons will probably ask him to do a lot of the same things he did in Miami: make pre-snap reads, get the ball out fast, and lean on his top targets, in this case Drake London and Kyle Pitts. There will be weeks where Tagovailoa is decent, but not enough of them to prioritize him in one-QB Fantasy formats. He's a mid-rounder in those two-QB formats.
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Likely to sit out second preseason game
Rotowire
Tagovailoa is expected to be rested for the Falcons' second preseason game Saturday versus the Colts, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.
Back on July 31, Stefanski told Daniel Flick of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the Falcons wouldn't play starters in the second preseason game, with members of the first-team offense and defense instead banking reps in joint practices with the Colts leading up to the exhibition. Stefanski doesn't seem to have deviated from that plan a few weeks later, as he mentioned Cooper Rush and Jack Strand as the possible starting options at quarterback for the matchup with Indianapolis when he spoke to the media Monday. Tagovailoa played two drives Friday in the Falcons' 27-7 loss to the Broncos in the preseason opener, and he's expected to take snaps again in the final exhibition game Friday, Aug. 28 versus the Dolphins. Tagovailoa is currently in pole position to open the regular season as the Falcons' starter under center, as Michael Penix (knee) remains limited to taking part in 7-on-7 drills during practices.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Plays two drives in preseason start
Rotowire
Tagovailoa completed three of five passes for 22 yards and rushed once for no gain in Friday's 27-7 preseason loss to the Broncos.
All three of Tagovailoa's completions on Atlanta's first two drives went to tight end Kyle Pitts. Tua's performance was nothing to write home about, but it's nonetheless encouraging that he got the starting nod for the preseason opener while Michael Penix (knee) has yet to be cleared for contact drills. Given Tagovailoa's edge in health, the former Dolphins quarterback is the favorite to win Atlanta's quarterback competition ahead of the Falcons' Week 1 road game against the Steelers.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Inside track to Week 1 start, per Fowler
Rotowire
Tagovailoa has the "inside track" to be named the Falcons' starting quarterback ahead of Week 1, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Helping Tagovailoa's cause so far in training camp has been his accuracy, though Michael Penix's ongoing recovery from the torn ACL he suffered Week 11 of last season has contained him to 7-to-7 drills, at best, in practice. Fowler noted that coach Kevin Stefanski "might wait this out until after the preseason to name a starter," so it appears he'll make Tagovailoa earn the role on his merits. Tagovailoa is slated to start Friday's exhibition against the Broncos, which may help him stake a claim to the eventual No. 1 role.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Starting preseason opener
Rotowire
Tagovailoa will start Friday's preseason opener against Denver, but coach Kevin Stefanski isn't ready to name the Week 1 starter, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Stefanski said Wednesday that the starters will stay in Friday's game for about 10 snaps or one series. For now, Tagovailoa is the starter by default with Michael Penix (knee) not yet cleared for contact or full-team drills. Stefanski is leaving the door open for Penix to earn the starting job, but that seems more likely to happen in-season than ahead of Week 1.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: No timetable to name starter
Rotowire
Coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that the Falcons don't have a timeline to name a starting quarterback for the team's Week 1 game at Pittsburgh, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
Tagovailoa seemingly is the leader in the clubhouse to land the gig for the season opener over Michael Penix, who has yet to join in on team drills in training camp due to his ongoing recovery from the torn ACL that ended his season Week 11 last year. While Stefanski wouldn't commit to a Week 1 starter, he added that he'll make a decision on whether or not Tagovailoa will play in Friday's preseason opener against the Broncos by Wednesday.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Trending toward Week 1 start
Rotowire
Tagovailoa (back) is trending toward being the Falcons' Week 1 starting quarterback, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Coach Kevin Stefanski has remained mum as it pertains to who will be under center for the Falcons for the season opener against the Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 13. Having said that, Tagovailoa has been far more active at the beginning of training camp than Michael Penix, the latter of whom continues to rehab the torn ACL that ended his campaign in Week 11 in 2025. Tagovailoa himself has been tending to a back injury, but he was able to elevate to 11-on-11 drills Monday and seems well on his way to getting the call from Stafanski ahead of Week 1. Tagovailoa was limited at Tuesday's practice but hopes to work fully Wednesday, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: To be 'limited' Tuesday
Rotowire
Coach Kevin Stefanski said Tagovailoa (back) will be "limited" at Tuesday's practice, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
Tagovailoa has been working through back tightness in the early stages of training camp, and after resuming 11-on-11 work Monday, he'll take a step back one day later. Meanwhile, fellow QB Michael Penix continues to rehab the torn ACL that ended his second campaign in Week 11 of last season. The Falcons' first preseason game occurs Friday, Aug. 14 against the Broncos, so Tagovailoa still has more than a week to put himself in a position for his debut with the team.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Resumes 11-on-11 work
Rotowire
Tagovailoa (back) returned to 11-on-11 drills Monday, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.
Tagovailoa had been dealing with some back tightness, which limited him to individual drills Friday, but the QB has progressed to the point where he's back at it for 11-on-11 work. Meanwhile, Tagovailoa's competition for the Falcons' starting signal-caller job, Michael Penix, who is bouncing back from November ACL surgery, remains limited to individual drills and 7-on-7s.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Full return TBD
Rotowire
Tagovailoa (back) did not take part in team drills Friday due to a "precautionary thing" related to back tightness and said he is unsure when he will be fully cleared for on-field activities, Marc Raimondi of ESPN reports.
Tagovailoa said that if the Falcons were preparing for an actual regular-season game he would likely be ready to play, but it remains to be seen whether he will be cleared to handle more than individual drills at training camp. With Michael Penix (ACL) also capped at 7-on-7 work for the moment, Jack Strand and Cooper Rush will continue piloting Atlanta's offense during the early stages of training camp. Tagovailoa and Penix are competing for the Falcons' starting quarterback job, even as both signal-callers currently deal with their respective health-related hurdles.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Doing individual drills
Rotowire
Tagovailoa (back) is doing individual drills at Thursday's practice, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.
Dealing with a tight back at the start of training camp, Tagovailoa could have some limitations early on. His ability to practice Thursday, even in a limited capacity, suggests this isn't something the Falcons are overly concerned about. Tagovailoa's broader injury history, including repeated concussion issues, nonetheless means that there will be extra focus on any problems that arise this summer.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Managing an injury
Rotowire
Coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Tagovailoa (undisclosed) is working through an injury, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
While Tagovailoa is dealing with an unspecified injury, it doesn't sound like the signal-caller will be sidelined for long. "He will be out there sooner rather than later," Stefanski noted. With Michael Penix (knee) not yet cleared for team work and Trevor Siemian having been released, Stefanski indicated that rookie UDFA Jack Strand will take the team's initial 11-on-11 QB reps at training camp practice.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Competing for starting role
Rotowire
Tagovailoa's former Dolphins teammate Patrick Paul believes Tagovailoa will win Atlanta's quarterback competition against Michael Penix (knee), Grant Gordon of NFL.com reports.
Both Atlanta QBs are learning the system of new coach Kevin Stefanski, and Tagovailoa has gotten a head start in that regard, as he worked with the first-team offense in spring practices while Penix was on the sidelines recovering from November surgery on a torn ACL. Penix believes he will be cleared to practice in training camp and be fully healthy by Week 1, per ESPN.com, but Tagovailoa's early edge makes the former Dolphins QB the favorite to start for the Falcons when they begin regular-season play Sunday, Sept. 13 at Pittsburgh.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Puts pen to paper with Falcons
Rotowire
Tagovailoa officially signed his one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Falcons on Friday.
Falcons GM Ian Cunningham confirmed Friday that Tagovailoa will compete with Michael Penix (knee) for the starting quarterback role in Atlanta, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com. Both are oft-injured left-handed quarterbacks, but Tua is the healthier of the two at the moment, as he passed a physical in order to effectuate his contract with Atlanta while Penix is recovering from November surgery to repair a torn ACL. Penix has a chance to be ready for the start of the regular season, but Tagovailoa could have the early edge in Atlanta's QB competition while Penix works his way back into form.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa: Reaches agreement with Atlanta
Rotowire
Tagovailoa and the Falcons have reached an agreement on a one-year, $1.3 million contract, Jonathan Jones of CBSSports.com reports.
The deal should become official Wednesday evening after the Dolphins release Tagovailoa, who is due $54 million in guaranteed money. His new contract offsets what he's owed from Miami, so there's no incentive to sign for more than the minimum. With fellow left-handed quarterback Michael Penix rehabbing from ACL surgery, Tagovailoa could get a chance to revive his value under new Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski. Atlanta has been busy in the opening hours of free-agent negotiations, releasing WRs Darnell Mooney and KhaDarel Hodge after quickly reaching agreements with WRs Olamide Zaccheaus and Jahan Dotson. The WR room still looks shaky beyond Drake London, but Bijan Robinson and a strong offensive line go a long way.
... See More... See Less
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Nearing deal with Atlanta?
Rotowire
Tagovailoa "appears poised" to sign with the Falcons once he's officially released by Miami on Wednesday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Tagovailoa would join a QB room led by fellow lefty Michael Penix, who underwent surgery in late November to repair an ACL tear. Tagovailoa likely will sign a vet-minimum contract with his next team, as any new money would simply offset the $54 million guaranteed that Miami owes him. If Tagovailoa does end up signing with the Falcons, it'll be a strong hint that Penix isn't expected to be ready for Week 1. At the very least, Tagovailoa would get first-team reps (under new coach Kevin Stefanski) throughout the offseason program and into training camp. Meanwhile, the Falcons are in line to release fellow quarterback Kirk Cousins at the start of the league year, right around the time when Miami figures to cut ties with Tagovailoa.
... See More... See Less
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Set to be released by Dolphins
Rotowire
The Dolphins will release Tagovailoa after the start of the new league year.
Per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, once the move occurs, Tagovailoa will be designated as a post June-1 release. The QB is due $54 million guaranteed for 2026, and considering offsets, Tagovailoa will be eligible to sign with another team for the league minimum after he's officially released. Tagovailoa -- who Miami selected fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft -- was benched for the team's final three games last year after tossing a career-high 15 interceptions (versus 20 TDs) in 14 regular-season games. The 28-year-old thus represents an option for franchises looking to add an experienced signal-caller to the mix at an affordable cost.
... See More... See Less
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Future in Miami uncertain
Rotowire
Tagovailoa said Monday, in the wake of Miami's season finale loss to the Patriots, that it "would be dope" to get a fresh start with another team during the 2026 season, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN reports.
Tagovailoa didn't go as far as stating that he plans to request a trade, but he said he "would be good with it" if he were to play elsewhere in 2026. Head coach Mike McDaniel said the Dolphins will host a quarterback competition in 2026 and left the door open for rookie Quinn Ewers (knee) to start, but he declined to comment on Tagovailoa being benched in Week 16. Across 14 regular-season appearances, Tagovailoa completed 260 of 384 pass attempts for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, while adding 43 yards on 20 carries and fumbling eight times. He led the NFL in INTs at the time of his benching. After having inked him to a four-year, $212.4 million contract in July of 2024, Miami would face a $99.2 million cap hit in 2026 by cutting Tagovailoa before June 1, while releasing him after that date would spread the cap hit across the next two seasons. Given Tagovailoa's salary, finding a trade partner for the 27-year-old signal-caller will be a difficult task.
... See More... See Less
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Relegated to emergency duties
Rotowire
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that Tagovailoa will act as the emergency No. 3 quarterback during Sunday's game against the Bengals, Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald reports.
Tagovailoa will not only be benched in favor of rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers versus Cincinnati in Week 16, but he's positioned to be inactive while Zach Wilson remains in the backup role. In that case, Tagovailoa would only be eligible to take the field if both Ewers and Wilson end up forced out of action. Based on the timing of his benching, it won't be surprising if Tagovailoa remains in the No. 3 role for Miami's remaining three regular-season games. Across 14 appearances this year, Tagovailoa has thrown a career-high and league-leading 15 interceptions. If he doesn't take another snap in 2025, Tagovailoa with end the season with a 68 percent completion percentage, 2,660 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, in addition to the aforementioned INTs. He's also rushed 20 times for 43 yards and fumbled eight times, losing one.
... See More... See Less
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Could be at risk of benching
Rotowire
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel suggested Tuesday that he's considering benching Tagovailoa for the team's Week 16 game against the Bengals, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports. "The quarterback play last night was not good enough," McDaniel said. "So for me, everything is on the table."
Tagovailoa turned in another uneven performance in Monday's 28-15 loss to the Steelers, completing 22 of 28 attempts for 253 yards and two touchdowns. The two scores came in garbage time, and he also lost 31 yards on four sacks and was intercepted on a deep ball intended for Jaylen Waddle midway through the first quarter. Prior to Monday's loss, the Dolphins had been riding a four-game winning streak, but the team's recent success was largely due to a potent De'Von Achane-led ground attack and an improved defense. Tagovailoa, meanwhile, posted a 3:3 TD:INT and threw for under 200 yards in each of those contests. With Monday's loss ending the Dolphins' long-shot bid for the playoffs, McDaniel is exploring a change at quarterback, with Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers looming as possible alternatives. McDaniel said he expects to reach a final decision on a Week 16 starter by Wednesday, and even if Tagovailoa retains the job, the mere consideration of a quarterback change suggests that the 27-year-old may not be viewed as the franchise's long-term answer. Tagovailoa is in the first season of a four-year, $212.4 million extension, and the Dolphins would have to absorb a $79.2 million dead-cap hit in order to get out from under his contract before 2027.
... See More... See Less
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Mixed bag in Week 15 loss
Rotowire
Tagovailoa completed 22 of 28 passes for 253 yards with two touchdowns and one interception while adding one rush for one yard in the Dolphins' 28-15 loss to the Steelers on Monday.
Tagovailoa's final line was certainly useful from a fantasy perspective, considering his passing yardage total was his fourth highest of the season and his multi-touchdown tally was his first in the last four games. He connected with Darren Waller for both of his scoring tosses (six and 13 yards), although both, along with the majority of Tagovailoa's yardage, came in the fourth quarter with the game essentially out of reach. Tagovailoa had failed to reach the 200-yard mark through the air in four straight games before Monday, but he could once again compile some fantasy-friendly numbers in a Week 16 home matchup against the Bengals on Sunday.
