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    Stefanski: Tagovailoa (oblique) ‘getting better’

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    Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski said Tua Tagovailoa is “getting better” from his oblique injury.

    Stefanski said the team will “work through what that means for this week.” Time will tell whether or not that means Tagovailoa has a chance to play in Week 3 against the Packers on Thursday night, as the Falcons have a number of ways they can go at QB this week after another disastrous outing by Cooper Rush. Tagovailoa did not log a practice last week, but Michael Penix (knee) was a full participant. It would be fair to assume that Penix is closer to returning than Tua, but we’ll see where things stand when the team releases its estimated injury report later today.
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    The final stat line looks more impressive when you consider Penix started the game 1-of-5 passing with an interception, settling into the game from there to go on to complete 17 of his final 20 pass attempts. As was the case during his rookie season, Penix leaned on his top option through the air, feeding Drake London 10 targets that the talented receiver parlayed into a gaudy 194 yards, with no other pass-catcher surpassing the 19 yards receiving of running back Bijan Robinson. The Falcons improve to 1-2 on the young season while handing the Packers their first home opener loss in 14 years. Penix has all the look of an upside QB2 and deserves streaming consideration ahead of a road matchup with the Saints in Week 4.
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    Tagovailoa joins a jumbled Falcons backup quarterback group for Thursday Night Football. He does not need to be rostered in 12-team leagues. The Falcons will start QB Michael Penix (knee).
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    Tagovailoa, fighting injuries for much of the offseason, missed Atlanta’s first two games with an oblique issue. He’ll return just in time to serve as backup to Michael Penix, who’s returning from a 2025 ACL injury. Penix is set to start Thursday night against a Packers defense allowing the ninth lowest adjusted yards per pass attempt.
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    Penix will make his first start since Week 11 of last season, when he suffered a torn ACL against the Panthers. If he plays well enough, Penix will have a chance to secure the starting job for the remainder of the season, but he will have Tua Tagovailoa looming in the background once he is fully recovered from his oblique injury. Penix has struggled early in his career, throwing for 2,757-12-6 in 14 career games while completing just 59.6 percent of his passes. It seems unlikely that he will hold onto the job for the remaining 15 games of the season, but he’ll get the first legitimate crack at it after the Falcons were forced to start Cooper Rush for the first two weeks of the season. Penix shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than a low-end QB2 for fantasy purposes on Thursday night against the Packers.
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    FOX’s Jay Glazer reports Tyson Bagent cleared concussion protocol but Case Keenum will start Monday against the Eagles.

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    Keon Coleman (ankle) is active for Week 3 against the Chargers.

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    Chargers declared S Elijah Molden, QB DJ Uiagalelei, OL Alex Harkey, G Kayode Awosika, TE Charlie Kolar, WR Brenen Thompson, and DT Dalvin Tomlinson inactive for Week 3 against the Bills.

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    Chiefs declared CB Chamarri Conner (knee), T Josh Simmons (back), TE Jared Wiley, QB Garrett Nussmeier, DE Jack Pyburn and DE Tyreke Smith inactive for Kansas City’s Week 3 game against the Dolphins.

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    Colts declared CB Charvarius Ward (groin) active for Indianapolis’ Week 3 game against the Texans.

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    Texans declared G Ed Ingram (groin), WR Nico Collins (hamstring), EDGE Jadeveon Clowney (knee), T Nate Thomas, CB Collin Wright and TE Brevin Jordan inactive for Houston’s Week 3 game against the Colts.

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