The NFL season is in full swing. As happens every year, injuries are rearing their ugly heads. As fantasy football managers prepare to set Week 8 lineups, it’s important to stay informed on the latest injury news. Michael Penix Jr. missed some practice time this week due to injury. What is his current status and outlook for this week?
Is Michael Penix Jr. Playing Week 8?
Penix sustained a knee injury late in the Falcons’ 20-10 loss to the 49ers after taking several hard hits in the pocket. The 25-year-old quarterback finished the game despite some discomfort and was later evaluated for what the team described as a bone bruise. Head coach Raheem Morris said the injury was “day-to-day,” calling Penix “the ultimate tough guy” while acknowledging the team would not put him in harm’s way.
The Falcons listed Penix as limited in practice all three days this week, continuing a cautious approach leading up to Sunday’s game. While the injury is not believed to be serious, the team clearly prioritized managing his workload to prevent any aggravation heading into a favorable Week 8 matchup against Miami.
Speaking with reporters after Thursday’s session, Penix said he fully expects to play, confirming that the knee pain hasn’t prevented him from performing regular quarterback movements during practice. “I’ll be out there Sunday,” he said confidently, echoing sentiments shared by Morris earlier in the week.
Still, Morris mentioned that veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins took a larger share of practice reps later in the week, a subtle shift that suggests the team wanted its backup fully prepared if something unexpected arises between now and Sunday. While not necessarily a red flag, it does indicate that Penix may not have progressed as smoothly as the Falcons hoped throughout the week, leading them to ensure Cousins is ready.
On Saturday, the situation took a turn. Adam Schefter reported that Cousins is considered “highly likely” to start. On Saturday night, he confirmed that Penix is out and Cousins will start. There is no more ambiguity. It will be the veteran this afternoon.
This will be Cousins’ first start of the season. While Penix is better for the fantasy options, Cousins is more than capable of keeping this offense humming.
Penix’s Fantasy Football Outlook
A bone bruise on his foot has Penix saddled with a day-to-day designation, but hopefully you’re not losing sleep over it. The second-year QB has just one multi-TD pass effort this season, and given that it is very possible that Atlanta asks him to do very little in a game they should control, it’s hard to find much upside in this profile.
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The 21 rushing yards in Week 1 against the Bucs piqued my interest, but with just 22 since, it’s become obvious that was nothing more than a flash in the pan.
Penix is concentrating his targets at a high level, so we want him in there for our Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts shares, but he himself offers little of interest in the fantasy space.
— Kyle Soppe, PFSN Fantasy Analyst
