The Atlanta Falcons have gone down to the wire in the first game of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In a back-and-forth game, the Falcons found their way to the red zone with a chance to potentially take the lead and the game.
However, they may have bitten of more than they can chew as the passing attempt may have cost them Drake London.
What Happened to Drake London?
With a chance to lead a game-winning drive, Michael Penix Jr. tried to throw a pass to London in the end zone.
The star wide receiver tried to come down with the ball. However, he landed awkwardly, and it was ruled an incompletion.
After further review… this Drake London touchdown was called INCOMPLETE
Thoughts⁉️
— Fantasy+ (@playfantasyplus) September 7, 2025
The Falcons had to try once again. But, London was immediately wincing after the contact and was slow to get up. He had to then leave the field and return to the sidelines. Even in his absence, though, Atlanta was able to convert for a touchdown.
A four-yard run from Penix resulted in the Falcons taking a 20-16 lead. However, their joy was short-lived. On the ensuing drive, Baker Mayfield was able to lead the Bucs down the field.
A 25-yard bomb to Emeka Egbuka gave Mayfield his third touchdown of the night and the rookie wide receiver his second score. The extent of London’s injury became clear on the next drive for the Falcons.
Despite a chance to potentially seal the game, he remained off the field as Penix tried to lead another drive down the field. Without his number one wide receiver, it was up to his dual-threat capabilities, along with the rest of the Atlanta roster, to make it count.
Even though Penix was able to get them into field goal range, London’s absence is as big a blow as any team has suffered this year. Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo unfortunately missed a 44-yard field goal attempt, which would have tied the game, and the Buccaneers came away with a thrilling 23-20 win.
In Week 2, Atlanta faces a tough road matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Starting the season 0-2 would be far from ideal for the Falcons, and if London misses time, it will be interesting to see how Penix and the rest of the offense will adjust to it.
#UPDATE: NFL insider Ian Rapoport provided the latest development on London’s injury. “Drake London suffered a shoulder sprain and is considered day-to-day as of now,” he wrote. “He’ll have more tests, but initial good news on Atlanta’s star who was ruled out earlier today.”
Fantasy Impact of London’s Injury
London was our 22nd-ranked receiver a season ago, finishing ahead of Tee Higgins, Davante Adams, and other established stars. That’s not bad considering the situation under center in Atlanta, and it supports all of the expectations being placed on him for 2025 as Michael Penix Jr. develops.
The Falcons entered Week 1 without Darnell Mooney due to a training camp shoulder injury. That left everything to fall on London’s shoulders. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hold up.
Behind London, the Falcons don’t have any reliable NFL starters. It’s Ray-Ray McCloud and KhaDarel Hodge. In theory, Kyle Pitts could see more targets, but he has never shown any ability to be a high-level producer.
There is no move here for fantasy managers. If London is out, it’s simply bad news for everyone involved with the Falcons offense.
