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Atlanta Falcons Will Start Three Rookies in Season Opener vs. Steelers
- Story by
- Atlanta Falcons Will Start Three Rookies in Season Opener vs. Steelers
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Atlanta Falcons are set to begin their season this weekend on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first game of the Kevin Stefanski era which they hope brings a whole lot more success.
It's a challenging assignment to begin a season on the road let alone against a hard-nosed team like the Steelers, so Atlanta must be ready to go if they want to have a real chance at returning home with a victory. Fascinatingly, they are going to have some very young players in key roles , and the release of the Week 1 depth chart from the team which revealed three rookies in the starting lineup in various positions.
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Guys who were just drafted this past April will be leaned on heavily, especially on defense and special teams.
Avieon Terrell, Kendal Daniels and Zachariah Branch All Listed as Starters
Branch may have some more work to do in order to crack the starting lineup on offense as a wide receiver as a third round rookie, but he is listed as the team's starting punt returner. His potential impact on special teams was one of the reasons he was drafted when he was, and he could make an early big play or two from this spot as he more eases into things on offense.
As for Terrell and Daniels, they have been undeniable throughout camp and are two guys who simply have to be on the field. The versatile Terrell is listed as the team's starting nickel back after playing both on the inside and outside at the college level. Ultimately, at 5-foot-11, this may be where he fits best in the long term next to his brother A.J. in the secondary.
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Daniels is listed as a starting inside linebacker next to Divine Deablo after he had the kind of camp where he was simply showing up on each and every play. While Deablo will be the one to wear the green dot and communicate signals, Daniels showed an ability to do that while Deablo missed time during camp with an injury.
Atlanta drafted him largely because of his football IQ, and it plays no small part on him earning a starting gig right out of the gate for this team.
Eyes will be closely watching all three of Branch, Terrell and Daniels during their NFL debuts this weekend, and if they can perform well, they will lock themselves in as huge parts of what the Falcons are trying to do in 2026.
