TuaTagovailoa

News: 1 day agoTagovailoa completed three of five passes for 22 yards and rushed once for no gain in Friday's 27-7 preseason loss to the Broncos.

Spin: All three of Tagovailoa's completions on Atlanta's first two drives went to tight end Kyle Pitts. Tua's performance was nothing to write home about, but it's nonetheless encouraging that he got the starting nod for the preseason opener while Michael Penix (knee) has yet to be cleared for contact drills. Given Tagovailoa's edge in health, the former Dolphins quarterback is the favorite to win Atlanta's quarterback competition ahead of the Falcons' Week 1 road game against the Steelers.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Tagovailoa signed with Atlanta during the offseason after spending his first six seasons in Miami. The 2020 first-round pick showed signs of life a few years ago, which included a 4,624-yard, 29-TD season in 2023, but his production and efficiency have declined since. The final straw was a rough 2025 in which he threw 15 INTs (second most in the league) in just 14 games and was benched. Tagovailoa is a nonfactor with his legs (fewer than 75 yards in four straight seasons, with zero TDs during the span) and has, in turn, never finished better than 10th in fantasy points per game (he was 33rd in 2025). Even if Tagovailoa starts in Week 1, he's unlikely to be anything more than a fringe QB2 in fantasy and figures to eventually lose work to Michael Penix Jr. (recovering from a torn ACL). Tagovailoa is way off the fantasy radar.