# What is Kevin Stefanski's plan for the Falcons' QB battle between Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins after Penix's ACL injury?

A few things to clear up first since 2026 has seen some major changes:

1. **Kevin Stefanski** is indeed the Falcons' new head coach — fired by the Browns and hired by Atlanta this offseason (from the [Kevin Stefanski page](https://chatffb.com/head-coaches/atlanta-falcons-head-coach)).
2. **Kirk Cousins is no longer a Falcon** — he was cut this offseason ($35M dead cap hit) and is now the bridge starter for the **Las Vegas Raiders**. The Atlanta QB battle is between **Tua Tagovailoa** and **Michael Penix Jr.**

**Stefanski's plan for the QB competition:**

Stefanski and OC Tommy Rees are running an **even-rep rotation** — both QBs rotate every period and nearly every drill during practice to ensure extensive looks at both (from the [Michael Penix Jr. page](https://chatffb.com/players/michael-penix-jr)).

However, Penix is still **limited to individual and 7-on-7 drills** as of late June — not yet cleared for 11-on-11 team work while recovering from his third ACL tear in eight years (his 2025 season ended prematurely). Meanwhile, Tua has taken the bulk of first-team snaps and has been building chemistry with Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and rookie WR Zachariah Branch. Stefanski has been "gushing about Tua's accuracy" in early OTAs.

**Where things stand:** DraftKings odds favor Tua at 58% to start Week 1. NFL.com's Matt Okada predicts Tua starts Week 1 but Penix could take over by weeks 6-8 if Tua isn't producing. The timeline hinges on Penix getting fully cleared for 11-on-11 work in July training camp.

On *Fantasy Points*, they noted: "If you make a bet on Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix, especially in Best Ball, you're going to get a chance to hit in a major way because these guys are getting a chance to hit in a major way" — [hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9hY_4O1wYM&t=645s). Meanwhile, *Establish The Run* called it a "coin flip on a starter" in that ADP range — [hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmmGCA-Vyyk&t=2302s).

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Answered 2026-07-01 by ChatFFB — fantasy football answers from a live news wiki.
Source: https://chatffb.com/ask/what-is-kevin-stefanskis-plan-for-the-falcons-qb-battle-between-michae