Ever since the Atlanta Falcons’ Week 18 game concluded this past January, the team had embarked on a very busy offseason. Atlanta hired a new head coach in Raheem Morris, found their quarterback both for the present in Kirk Cousins and for the future in Michael Penix Jr., and just recently added two studs on defense in Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons.
Having now wrapped up an active offseason, the team prepares for the brand new season ahead, with the NFL regular season set to begin in just a matter of days. The Falcons opening game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is slated to take place this Sunday at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Before we get to the opening kickoff, I will be doing a team version of the NFL Awards. After every season, the NFL hands out awards such as Most Valuable Player, Offensive Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year to its best players and coaches throughout that year. So that is what we will be doing today, giving out team awards to players on the Falcons. I came up with five categories that will be exclusive just for the team as a whole, and I will attempt to predict who I think will earn those aforementioned awards for the team at the end of the season.
The awards as follows:
- Most Valuable Player
- Best Offensive Player
- Best Defensive Player
- Breakout Player
- Best Rookie Player
So, without further ado:
Best Rookie Player: WR Casey Washington
(Dale Zanine - USA TODAY Sports)
One of the most likely players from Atlanta’s draft class to have a stellar season.
The rookie from Illinois played well during the preseason, having recorded only 58 yards on five receptions and zero touchdowns. Washington is in a wide receiver room that only has five players in their group. Washington projects to be the WR4 in the depth chart, making room for him to be able to have somewhat of a solid season with the opportunity he could have.
In the unfortunate event any of the three starting receivers goes down, Washington would then be thrusted into the starting lineup, where he would most definitely need to step up and showcase what he can do for the team. So, in a rookie class filled with players that may not see a whole bunch of playing time in their first year, Washington is the player that I predict will make the most of what he’s given in Atlanta.
Honorable Mention: DL Ruke Orhorhoro
Breakout Player: WR Drake London
(Dale Zanine - USA TODAY Sports)
You knew this one was coming, right?
Quite possibly the most mentioned player to have a breakout season for the Falcons, so it’s not super difficult to predict Atlanta’s star wide receiver will be the winner of this award for the team. In his first two seasons in the league, he’s had less than stellar quarterback play, but now with Kirk Cousins at the helm as well as a new offensive coordinator who is expected to incorporate a more pass heavy offense, London should almost certainly see his first 1,000-plus yard receiving season.
We have talked non stop about the skills that the third-year receiver brings to the table, and this upcoming year is the perfect time for London to finally show off what he’s made of and truly breakout.
Honorable Mention: CB Clark Phillips III
Best Defensive Player: S Jessie Bates III
(Shanna Lockwood - Atlanta Falcons Media)
Atlanta’s best player last year, so this was another one that wasn’t super out of the ordinary to predict.
With multiple new additions on the defensive side of the ball along with veteran Grady Jarrett looking to return from his ACL injury, Bates may not have a ton on his plate, especially at his own position. Just a couple of weeks ago, Atlanta went out and added star safety Justin Simmons to a one-year deal, partnering him with Bates in the secondary.
However, Bates is still arguably the best safety in the entire league and I predict him to still end up being the top player on this defense. The seven-year veteran has a chance to tie the interceptions he had last year with six and continue his reign of terror in Atlanta.
Honorable Mention: OLB Matthew Judon
Best Offensive Player: RB Bijan Robinson
(Dale Zanine - USA TODAY Sports)
There is a ton of excitement surrounding the second-year running back, and rightfully so.
Last season, Robinson showed a ton of flashes and notched 1,463 total yards from scrimmage with eight total touchdowns. Returning for his sophomore season, Robinson has everything looking up for him. Cousins is now under center and new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has gushed over the talents that the running back boasts.
I predict that Robinson will come close to 2,000 total scrimmage yards and have plenty of touchdowns both in rushing and receiving, thus becoming the best player on the offensive side of the ball for the 2024 season with zero doubts.
Honorable Mention: TE Kyle Pitts
Most Valuable Player: QB Kirk Cousins
(Dale Zanine - USA TODAY Sports)
This had to be the answer, I couldn’t go without including him.
Much like the NFL MVP award, it always goes to a quarterback and I decided to predict the same here for the Falcons. Cousins has consistently been one of the best quarterbacks in the league throughout his thirteen-year career and I expect that to continue in Atlanta.
Without a doubt the most important position to play in the NFL and Atlanta saw what it could be like if they don’t have a competent one under center. Last year, the Falcons saw a shuffle of quarterbacks between Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, which was very abysmal to say the least. Now, being able to have a top notch quarterback tossing the ball around, Cousins has to be the most valuable player for this team in 2024. Cousins gives the team a great sense of consistency and security in knowing they have a very reliable passer and tremendous leader to help spearhead this team to where they are trying to go.
No matter who ends up winning these team awards for the Falcons, this season looks very bright, quite possibly the brightest it has been in a handful of years. There is a ton of positivity and excitement around the fanbase and the team looks poised to have some much-needed success this season.
Make sure to follow along on all social media platforms and with Sporting News so you don’t miss any Falcons updates throughout the regular season.
