Where do the Falcons belong in pre-training camp NFL power rankings?

Veterans report to training camp for the Atlanta Falcons today and the team will hold their first practice tomorrow at Flowery Branch. That brings us one step closer to the beginning of the 2026 NFL season, marking a new chapter and a new beginning for the organization.

Fans have every right to be skeptical about the changes the Falcons made this offseason, which were mostly of the front office variety. While the team did little to upgrade the roster, Atlanta was able to get contract extensions done with both Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

That being said, nobody should confuse this team for a heavyweight contender. Thanks in large part to their uncertain quarterback situation, Atlanta has been getting low rankings all offseason.

This trend continued in a new batch from The Athletic. Falcons beat writer Josh Kendall listed Atlanta at No. 24 in his pre-training camp power rankings.

"Owner Arthur Blank wanted Matt Ryan back so badly that he invented a position for him, and the franchise’s all-time leading passer is now the royally titled president of football (not football operations, just football). Ryan’s first two decrees were hiring veteran head coach Kevin Stefanski and first-time general manager Ian Cunningham. The trio now has to break the league’s second-longest active streak of not making the postseason (eight years)."

The Falcons are definitely more talented on paper than several teams ranked ahead of them. However, it's difficult to argue they should be ranked much higher given the pair of question marks in their backfield.

Atlanta could be a very dangerous dark-horse team in the NFC, but only if Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. play well enough for that to happen. Tagovailoa was benched and later released by the Dolphins, while Penix is still working his way back from an ACL injury.

If head coach Kevin Stefanski can get either player to effectively run his offense, the Falcons have enough talent on both sides of the ball to make some noise in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Where do the Falcons belong in pre-training camp NFL power rankings?