It's starting to feel like the national media just flat out doesn't like the Atlanta Falcons. Despite having a talented core and several young stars, the Falcons seem to consistently land near the bottom of NFL roster rankings. Now ESPN is even claiming that this will be one of the most boring NFL teams to watch in 2026.
ESPN just came out with their annual "watchability" rankings for all 32 teams. Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears' explosive offense were ranked first. You won't find the Falcons until you scroll all the way down to No. 28 on the list, though.
"There is nothing more insurmountable in the watchability rankings than bad quarterback play. And it's looking like we might get that in Atlanta. Tua Tagovailoa has been unable
to earn the starting job in camp, which sets up third-year pro Michael Penix Jr. -- fresh off an ACL recovery -- to see the field the moment he's healthy. If he can't go, it's Tagovailoa, Cooper Rush or undrafted free agent Jack Strand? (Strand actually seems kind of watchable given his preseason performances -- he's enormous and fast.)
The quarterback situation is a bummer right now, but it's way too early to write off that entire unit for the year. The bigger bone we have to pick is the Falcons have one of the most watchable skill players of the modern era in superstar running back Bijan Robinson.
Fresh off signing a new contract that made him the highest-paid running back in league history, Robinson looks poised to ride Kevin Stefanski's run-heavy offense to a historic year at his position.
Even if he doesn't break any records, watching Robinson is as entertaining as the league gets - at least when there's no elite quarterback on the field. His presence alone should keep the Falcons no lower than 15th on this list.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Despite Bijan Robinson, Falcons near bottom of watchability rankings
