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Disrespect and disregard is all the Atlanta Falcons have had to eat this offseason, at least if we're talking about how they are perceived by the national sporting media.
The latest slight comes from ESPN, which has ranked Atlanta just 22nd in under-25 talent a few weeks after ranking their starting lineup 29th in the NFL.
ESPN is hardly alone, though. Putting the Falcons on the lower end of just about every list and ranking imaginable has been a trend all year. At least somebody recognizes that they're not getting their proper respect, though.
Mike Jones at The Athletic has a new list out of the league's most overrated and underrated teams going into the 2026 season, and the Falcons are the first team he named in the underrated category.
"Kevin Stefanski inherits a team that features plenty of talent, with Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, Drake London, A.J. Terrell, Jessie Bates III, James Pearce and Xavier Watts leading the way. If he can figure out the quarterback situation (Michael Penix Jr. versus Tua Tagovailoa) and keep one of those two on the field, Atlanta could challenge for the division."
Challenging for the NFC South title is a bit like beating your little sister in an arm-wrestling contest, but these Falcons should do much more than that given the amount of talent that they have.
From where we're sitting there are two major x-factors that will determine how far the Falcons go, or how low they might sink. Aside from the ever-present threat of injuries, the biggest question on offense is what they'll get at quarterback. If Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix can perform at an even average level for an NFL starter, this team will be very dangerous come January. Every other piece of the puzzle is there on this side of the ball.
Defensively, the Falcons are a bit thin inside up front, but the real question is how long the league will suspend their 2025 sack leader, edge rusher James Pearce. If it's more than six games it will be a pretty devastating blow to Jeff Ulbrich's front-seven. There are still plenty of good players on this unit, though, especially on the back end.
Overall, we see Atlanta's ceiling as a 10-7 season and an upset win in the Wild-Card round, assuming they are playing at home. If they get hammered by injuries at key positions and don't get what they need at QB, they may finish as low as 6-11.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons ranked among most underrated NFL teams going into 2026 season
