The Atlanta Falcons are already dealing with a major blow at quarterback, as Michael Penix Jr. is sidelined with a bruised bone for Sunday’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Now, the team has received another setback: star receiver Drake London has appeared on the injury report, raising concerns about Atlanta’s offensive firepower.
London leads the Falcons in receiving yards, and his availability could be key for the team’s push to get above .500. Here’s the latest on his injury status and whether he’ll be able to suit up against Miami.
Is Drake London Playing Against the Dolphins Today?
London had a slow start in Week 7, which appeared to be related to injury concerns. However, he managed to complete the game and finished with four receptions for 42 yards on 10 targets.
Everything seemed routine, with London participating fully in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. However, he appeared on the Friday injury report with a hip issue. While he wasn’t given a formal injury designation, London was listed as limited, which was not ideal but not alarming either.
What appeared to be routine soreness escalated, though, when the Falcons downgraded London to questionable on Saturday.
NFL insider Adam Schefter dropped an update on London’s situation on Sunday. “Falcons will check in this morning at the stadium with WR Drake London — who was added to the injury report Saturday as questionable with a shoulder injury — to determine whether he can play vs. the Dolphins,” Schefter wrote on X.
#UPDATE: London is ruled out for the Week 8 game against the Dolphins.
It’s clear the injury occurred sometime during Friday’s practice. The Saturday adjustment suggests the team initially didn’t view it as serious, but changed course after the hip failed to respond well overnight. These Saturday downgrades often indicate legitimate concern about a player’s availability.
Head coach Raheem Morris hasn’t ruled London out, but the cautious move to label him questionable implies the Falcons will test his mobility pregame before making a final decision.
The good news for fans is that the Falcons play in the 1:00 PM ET window, ensuring that London’s official status will be known early Sunday morning. However, if he can’t suit up, it would be a major blow to a team already dealing with instability under center.
Atlanta can’t afford to lose more firepower in the passing game after recently parting ways with Ray-Ray McCloud III, who was sent home from practice last week for undisclosed reasons and has since signed with the New York Giants. The Falcons will have Darnell Mooney available against the Dolphins, but it’s likely that RB Bijan Robinson will once again draw the majority of targets in the passing game.
London has 469 receiving yards through six games, which is tied for 11th in the NFL. He is the 23rd-ranked wide receiver in PFSN’s Wide Receiver Impact metric with an impact score of 79.7.
