The Beacon Brief, one report

Depth chartWeek 2Update: read the earlier report this one follows

Falcons QB Cooper Rush will start Sunday vs. Carolina with Jack Strand as backup; Michael Penix Jr. ruled out.

Starter: Cooper Rush
Backup: Jack Strand
Ruled Out: Michael Penix Jr.
Opponent: Carolina Panthers

Cooper RushQB Jack StrandQB, ATL Michael Penix Jr.QB, ATL Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers

Earlier reports on this story

PerformanceWeek 2
Michael Penix Jr. and Cooper Rush were full participants in Falcons practice; Tua Tagovailoa did not practice.
Full Participants
Michael Penix Jr. and Cooper Rush
Did Not Practice
Tua Tagovailoa
Michael Penix Jr.QB, ATL Cooper RushQB Tua TagovailoaQB, ATL Atlanta Falcons
Original report: @AdamSchefter on X (opens in a new tab), Sep 17, 2026, 3:54 PM EDT
Covered in the Brief: Week 2 Fantasy Football News and Injuries (2026): Dart, Daniels and Caleb go down Permalink: Michael Penix Jr. and Cooper Rush were full participants in Falcons practice; Tua Tagovailoa did not practice.