Falcons provide update on kicker competition ahead of Titans game
The Atlanta Falcons have several position battles worth monitoring over the final two preseason games. One competition that has received plenty of attention throughout training camp is the battle for the team's starting kicker job.
Former Pro Bowl kicker Younghoe Koo is the favorite, but the Falcons signed Lenny Krieg following his impressive showing at the NFL Scouting Combine. Koo had a rough season in 2024, playing hurt and missing time due to a leg injury.
While Koo has the obvious experience advantage, Krieg has the stronger leg. In Atlanta's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, Krieg converted a 57-yard field goal but missed his second attempt to finish 1-for-2.
Head coach Raheem Morris provided an update on the plan for Friday's preseason game against the Tennessee Titans. After Krieg took all of the reps in the opener, Morris said Koo will handle the kicking duties.
Aside from Koo, we wouldn't expect to see many starters on Friday night. Morris has consistently taken a cautious approach to the preseason since taking over as head coach in 2024. On the other hand, the Titans are expected to play the majority of their starters against Atlanta.
"Everybody is going to play, similar to last week," Titans head coach Brian Callahan told reporters ahead of Wednesday's joint with the Falcons.
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22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football Roundtable: Our favorite breakout picks of 2025
Hitting on breakouts is key to a successful fantasy football season. 2025 is no different. Here, Justin Boone, Matt Harmon, Scott Pianowski and Ray Garvin reveal the players — one at each position — they expect will be unleashed this season. Quarterback Scott: The Falcons have the look of a possible carnival team in 2025. Indoor schedule, questionable defense, fun skill talent, a narrow target tree. Of course, for it to all smash, has to be the real deal, too. But he looked comfortable in his three-game trial late last season, and he has a first-round pedigree. Even if Penix has a bumpy onboarding at times, working with Bijan Robinsin and Drake London should smooth some of the edges. I'm investing in this offense proactively. Ray: is my breakout quarterback for 2025. The No. 1 pick in 2024 has everything you want: raw talent, legit weapons like DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III, D'Andre Swift and Cole Kmet, and most importantly, Ben Johnson calling the shots. Johnson didn't leave Detroit to babysit another Bears rebuild. He came to maximize Caleb's ceiling, and if there's a coach I trust to get it done, it's him. This offense will move the ball and Williams is going to be asked to do it all. With his skill set and Johnson's scheme, the floor is solid and the ceiling is special. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Justin: was the 10th overall pick a year ago who lost out on a chance to start as a rookie due to a meniscus tear that ended his season before it began. Now he's healthy and stepping into a Kevin O'Connell offense that has made fantasy starters out of every quarterback he's had under center, including Sam Darnold (QB11 in 2024), Kirk Cousins (QB7 in 2023), Joshua Dobbs (QB10 during his five-game starting stint in 2023), Nick Mullens (QB14 over the final month in 2023) and Cousins again (QB13 in 2022). McCarthy is an upgrade on Darnold and will have an even better supporting cast given the additions of running back Jordan Mason, as well as new offensive linemen Ryan Kelly and Will Fries. McCarthy is an extremely late pick who could turn into a fantasy QB1 sooner rather than later in this system. Matt: led a successful Panthers offense down the stretch last season. From Week 10 on, the Panthers were a top-12 offense in EPA per play. Young was the QB11 during that stretch, both because he was a confident downfield passer and thanks to his 211 yards added on scrambles, fifth-most during that span. The Panthers offense should be improved with Tetarioa McMillan added at the X-receiver spot to help slot second-year players Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker into comfortable supporting roles. Young's breakout was real last year, and I don't think his fantasy ceiling is getting enough credit in the community. Running Back Justin: already had a minor breakout as a rookie last year with 839 rushing yards and 284 receiving yards. However, the vast majority of that production came after he moved into a more prominent role in Week 5. From that point on, Tracy played the majority of the Giants' snaps and was the RB21 in fantasy points per game. We haven't seen his ceiling over the course of a full season yet. Fourth-rounder Cam Skattebo made some highlight plays early in camp, but a hamstring injury caused him to miss multiple weeks of practice. In the meantime, beat writers have made it clear that this is Tracy's backfield with a likely 70-30 split in his favor, with Skattebo and Devin Singletary making up the rest. That makes Tracy a very enticing option as an upside RB2 with excellent pass-catching skills who's available in the middle rounds. Matt: has been labeled the 1B back to Aaron Jones Sr. this offseason. He averaged a whopping 5.65 yards per carry on gap runs in 2024, per Fantasy Points Data, and it's clear that the Vikings want to add more of those runs based on the hefty offensive line additions. Mason could be a goal-line option with massive contingency upside if Jones missed games. There's also a real path to Mason becoming the lead back in this backfield. Jones can still play but might be best in a low-volume slasher role while Mason operates as the innings-eater. The Vikings needed to get a more sustaining version of offense after being too reliant on deep shots last season under Sam Darnold. A more consistent ground game can be the answer and Mason could be the leading man in that pursuit. Ray: is my breakout running back for 2025. Forget the 334 rushing yards as a rookie — he was only 20 years old. Now at 6'1' 230-pounds, Allen looks like a different back this preseason. In Week 2 of exhibition play he split touches evenly with Breece Hall but the real takeaway was usage. Allen was on the field for every third down and converted on a few gotta-have-it third- and fourth-down situations. That was not Hall — it was Allen. That is trust from a new head coach who came from Detroit and knows how to ride a one-two backfield punch. In an offense unlikely to be high volume through the air, Allen has the opportunity to cement himself as a breakout star. Scott: Are we sure Kenneth Walker III is better than ? Last year, Charbonnet beat Walker in most of the efficiency and per-touch stats (he also had more touchdowns on fewer touches). It looks like Walker and Charbonnet will both have meaty roles to open the year, perhaps making this a hot-hand situation. I would not be surprised if Charbonnet ascends to the top of Seattle's depth chart at some point this season. Wide Receiver Matt: is one of, if not my favorite, breakout wide receiver pick this season. Pearsall came back from offseason injuries and being shot in the chest to just get on the field. You could see when watching him he was ticketed for a singular role in the 49ers offense. The 49ers haven't had a player like this before in that room and it's critical he's in place now that they're transitioning to more of a true dropback offense. In the final four games of last season, Pearsall was smoking man coverage from various alignments. He was a prospect I loved, put up good film late in his rookie year and plays for one of the best offensive minds in the sport. That's a fantastic breakout bet at wide receiver who still goes outside the top 90 picks in Yahoo drafts. The fantasy community just doesn't realize how high of a ceiling this player has because they're overly obsessed with per route metrics that don't tell the story on this particular wideout. Justin: If you're searching for receivers on the verge of taking their game to the next level, sophomore wideouts are a good place to start. After being drafted ninth overall last year, was stuck behind two capable veterans in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, while being forced to play for a coaching staff that was swirling the drain. Enter Ben Johnson. Things are already looking up in Chicago as Caleb Williams develops under Johnson's tutelage, which offers promise for this passing attack. Johnson will scheme his players up and his playcalling will result in more success downfield. There are also signs that Moore is in decline, potentially opening the door for Odunze to become the Bears' No. 1 receiver in 2025. We still have a ways to go before that happens, but there are enough signs pointing in Odunze's favor that I'm drafting him as a borderline fantasy WR2 ahead of Moore. Scott: has made plenty of splash plays in his first two seasons. He's also been dynamic in the return game. Maybe Year 3 is the year he grows as a technical receiver. If Sean Payton is ready to admit Mims into the Circle of Trust, Mims has a ceiling of 800-1,000 yards and perhaps 8-10 touchdowns. The Denver receiver room doesn't have an obvious No. 2 option at the moment. Ray: is my breakout wide receiver for 2025. He flashed WR1 ability throughout his time in Pittsburgh but inconsistency and shaky quarterback play held him back. Now he steps into an offense tailor-made for his vertical skill set. With CeeDee Lamb operating all over the field, Pickens is set to rip off chunk plays down the sideline. It is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for defenses deciding who to double. This could look a lot like Cincinnati with Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins. The setup is there for Pickens to explode. Tight End Ray: is lined up for a Year 3 breakout. Last season, he showed growth with 40 catches, 411 yards and 2 touchdowns, proving he could handle a bigger role. Enter new head coach Liam Coen, the same play caller who turned Cade Otton into a fantasy factor. Otton saw his targets jump from 67 in 2023 to 87 in 2024, which ranked top 12 among tight ends while playing over 92% of snaps and running 425 routes. That is the kind of usage Strange could inherit in Jacksonville. With Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter and Dyami Brown pulling coverage, Strange will live in one-on-one matchups. Add Trevor Lawrence's ability to extend plays and the runway is clear for Strange to be this year's Cade Otton. Matt: is a stone-cold baller at the tight end position, who is both a strong blocker and explosive receiver. That's a big reason why he makes perfect sense as a breakout tight end; don't expect to see him be a rotational player, which so often ruins the hopes of breakout tight ends. We want guys who are on the field often at this position and play in strong offensive environments for touchdown equity and with a bonus if they have the upside to he a top-two target on their team. Tucker Kraft checks every box. Only four tight ends ran a route on over 80% of their team's dropbacks in 2024: Trey McBride (87.1%), Brock Bowers (84.5%), Travis Kelce (83.9%) and Tucker Kraft (83.5%). The Packers are projected to be an excellent offense again this season and Kraft is a proven touchdown threat with a 10% touchdown rate. He ranked third among tight ends with 50-plus targets in touchdown rate. Scott: Tucker Kraft is my favorite wait-for-it tight end on the board this year, but when I lose the race to Kraft (such as in this article), is my consolation prize. I suspect the Cowboys will have a meaty pass rate this year, pushed by a mediocre running game and a defense that has collapse risk. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are the primary beneficiaries if that frame comes to life, but there's room for Ferguson to smash his ADP. Ferguson has given us meaty volume seasons before, but it's been a low touchdown count that kept his fantasy value muted. But we're also talking about a player who caught three touchdowns against the Packers in a playoff loss. Ferguson offers plenty of plausible upside entering his fourth pro season. Justin: Many fantasy managers are out on after the young tight end failed to meet expectations in his first two NFL seasons. That might end up being a mistake. Kincaid has finished second on the Bills in targets each of the past two years, despite dealing with injuries along the way. Through the first nine weeks of the 2024 campaign, before injuries struck, he was on pace for 102 targets. Only four tight ends topped 100 targets last year — Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, Travis Kelce and Jonnu Smith. As a rookie, Kincaid saw 91 targets but dealt with a slow ramp-up in the opening month and missed a game due to injury. However, over the final 12 weeks that year, Kincaid was the TE11 in fantasy points per contest. So what happens if he stays healthy in 2025? There's still a path to fantasy TE1 status for the 25-year-old. With Khalil Shakir dealing with a high-ankle sprain, we might get to see Kincaid take on a bigger role beginning in Week 1.
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What's Standing in Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy's Way as He Nears NFL Debut
National Football League What's Standing in Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy's Way as He Nears NFL Debut Published Aug. 21, 2025 11:43 a.m. ET share facebook x reddit link EAGAN, Minn. — J.J. McCarthy ran the Minnesota Vikings' offense through an end-of-game drive starting at the 1-yard line. It was the final drive of practice on Wednesday, and the heat felt much hotter than 85 degrees. Halfway through, McCarthy lost receiver Jordan Addison to an arm injury. That left the young quarterback to work with receivers Lucky Jackson, Thayer Thomas and Jeshaun Jones, among others. If you haven't heard of those guys, you're not alone. But McCarthy carried on, working his way upfield. Without Justin Jefferson (limited with a hamstring injury). Without Christian Darrisaw (limited due to an ACL injury). Without Jalen Nailor (recovering from a hand injury). And suddenly, without Addison, who had caught back-to-back touchdowns during the red-zone period earlier in practice. There was a flash of hope: McCarthy completed a beautiful, arcing, 30-yard pass to Aaron Jones along the sideline. But a holding penalty erased the highlight-reel play. And soon after, McCarthy completed a short pass to Thomas and time expired. That was how the last practice before the last preseason game ended. Late in training camp, J.J. McCarthy is working without some of Minnesota's top offensive playmakers. (Photo by) ADVERTISEMENT When camp started, there was so much star talent — including head coach/QB-whisperer Kevin O'Connell — that it looked like McCarthy had the coziest situation in the NFL to make his debut. But apparently, I was fooling myself into thinking a cozy situation exists for any NFL quarterback. There will always be adversity. But that hasn't shaken the young QB's confidence, perhaps because the end of camp is really just the beginning of the season. Not to mention the beginning of his NFL career after he missed all of his rookie season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. "[My confidence is] extremely high, highest it's ever been," McCarthy said after Wednesday's practice. "Just looking at the guys around me and the coaching staff — that gives me all the confidence in the world to go out there knowing I've got them at my back." The Vikings' stars might not be back on the field yet, but McCarthy is getting support in other ways. After nearly taking a safety in his own end zone late in practice on a QB hit by Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, McCarthy got the team off the 1-yard line with a checkdown to backup running back Jordan Mason. Even though the drive stalled a few plays later, the offense avoided a major negative play. Then McCarthy found O'Connell, who looked to offer a few coaching points. Then quarterbacks coach Josh McCown walked over. And finally, Justin Jefferson joined the chat. That's a darn good brain trust. "Very intelligent minds, great leaders, all three of them right there," McCarthy said. "And just being able to pick their brains every single day and hear their perspective on every single rep, it's extremely valuable. Extremely." After resuscitating the career of Sam Darnold last season, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell (left) has a new pupil in quarterback J.J. McCarthy (right). (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) At the beginning of training camp, O'Connell spoke about the importance of avoiding the "hard downs" for his young QB. Those are fourth- and third-and-long, where McCarthy would face a clear passing situation. It feels notable that, by the end of camp, he's had to face those hard downs without a number of the stars who will likely prove most important to this offense. There's clear optimism that Darrisaw, Jefferson and maybe even Nailor will be back for Week 1. But Addison will miss three weeks for violating the league's substance abuse policy. And perhaps that's why the Vikings are exploring the trade market for help at receiver, per multiple reports. "I have no concern at all," McCarthy said about the team's receiver depth. "Absolutely love our room. But you know, at the end of the day, I trust KO [O'Connell] and [GM] Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah] to make the right decision." There's little doubt that the Vikings' defense will be impressive, with ultra-aggressive coordinator Brian Flores again calling the shots. Edges Dallas Turner and Greenard were outstanding in Wednesday's scrimmage — and Greenard has been for the entirety of camp. But even on that side of the ball, the Vikings are managing injuries to safety Harrison Smith, edge Andrew Van Ginkel, linebacker Blake Cashman and cornerback Jeff Okudah (who left Wednesday's practice). And even if the Vikings get all their stars back on the field for their season-opener against the Bears on Sept. 8, the offense hasn't had the preferred amount of practice time, particularly in O'Connell's complicated, timing-based scheme. "He's still trying to figure out the offense and trying to figure out me not being in that role," Jefferson said of McCarthy. "At least if I'm not going to be in that role at that time, I'm going to be the one that's talking with him on the side … just so we can be on that same page. "[But] It's difficult to just sit here and talk and [then] go out there and be on the same page. It's not going to be the same. That repetition is what really matters." For McCarthy, Jefferson and the Vikings, those repetitions need to come soon. Before joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna . 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Fox Sports
24 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Bucs LB Nick Jackson Looking To Beat Odds & Join Best Friend Kyle Hamilton in NFL
National Football League Bucs LB Nick Jackson Looking To Beat Odds & Join Best Friend Kyle Hamilton in NFL Published Aug. 21, 2025 11:38 a.m. ET share facebook x reddit link TAMPA, Fla. — This was always the dream. Friends since they were 4, teammates throughout childhood in suburban Atlanta, Kyle Hamilton and Nick Jackson grew up pushing each other to play football at the very highest level. They've taken two wildly different paths to the NFL — Hamilton was a first-round draft pick, now entering his fourth NFL season as a safety with the Baltimore Ravens, already with two Pro Bowl nods to his credit. Jackson, also 24 and two months older, played six years of college football at Virginia and Iowa, and now finds himself on the cusp of making the cut as an undrafted rookie linebacker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "It would mean the world," Jackson said Tuesday of the thought of making the Bucs' roster. "I love football. My faith, my family and football, I think that's kind of what makes me me. It would be a big honor. My whole life, I've dreamed of this moment. When you play pee-wee football, you have those NFL teams and all that stuff. Every single day, I have that on my mind, but I'm just thankful for the opportunity." Buccaneers LB Nick Jackson (right) and Ravens standout Kyle Hamilton (left) have been friends since early childhood, growing up in Georgia. (Photo credit: Kyle Hamilton on Instagram). ADVERTISEMENT Undrafted rookies face long odds to stick in the NFL, but Jackson goes a step further. After the draft, when hundreds of college players are signed to NFL rosters, Jackson got no such call, only invited to attend the Buccaneers' rookie minicamp as one of 34 tryout players. He had to fight just to get on their 90-man offseason roster, but was one of two tryout players signed, and he's made the most of that chance after getting a foot in the door of the NFL. "He's very instinctive," Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. "He knows how to play the game, he knows where the ball is going, he does things the right way and he makes plays when he gets the When Jackson played in his first NFL preseason game, in Tampa against the Tennessee Titans, it meant enough to Hamilton that he bought the NFL+ package, allowing him to stream the game and watch it live from Baltimore. Their two families are close enough that Hamilton's mother was at the game with Jackson's parents, watching in person and sending Hamilton videos from the stadium. The two players have talked through every part of his rookie summer, from minicamps to practice to his first games, reminding him that he was nervous in those same spots, even as a first-round pick. "I think it's a little different when you hear it from somebody you literally grew up with," Hamilton told me. "We talk every single day. He was a little nervous going into it, understandably so. I was too, everybody is. It's a tough time, physically and mentally. I just tried to help him out, nothing to make him play better, but just to settle his head and make him more comfortable. He's done a great job and it's been really cool to see him playing well." The everyday aspect of their friendship is nothing new. Hamilton said they spent every day together for 10 summers straight, going back to when Hamilton was a quarterback and Jackson was a running back, playing interleague football at Murphey Candler Park outside Atlanta. "He probably won't tell you this, but I was the reason he started playing tackle football," Hamilton said. "Before me, he was playing flag. He has a scarce amount of interceptions in his life, but one of them was off me when we were like 6 years old." Just like he did when playing football in their youth, Hamilton also got a head start on playing in the NFL. He only needed to spend three seasons at Notre Dame before declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft. Jackson, meanwhile, played in 73 games and recorded 555 tackles in college. As Jackson begins his NFL journey, Hamilton has been a helpful voice for him along his football path. "He's like my brother," Jackson said. "He's been an unbelievable influence, and I really can't thank him enough. We've grown up since we were 4, pretty much talked every day, dinners every night. He's guided me through the process because he's been through it. We make the joke that he was first round and I was a rookie minicamp invite, so we have both ends of the spectrum on it. It's been an honor to lean on him." Two decades after they first became friends, Nick Jackson (left) and Kyle Hamilton (right) are living out their NFL dreams. (Photo credit: Kyle Hamilton on Instagram) Jackson has other former teammates who continue to inspire him. He endured an unfathomable tragedy at Virginia in 2022 when a former Cavaliers walk-on opened fire on a charter bus on campus, killing three of Jackson's Virginia teammates. The team's final two games that season were canceled, and Jackson made the difficult decision to transfer to Iowa, where he would play his final two seasons. "Everything you saw with Nick was significant growth, within the defense and within the team," Iowa linebackers coach and assistant head coach Seth Wallace told me. "There's a level of instinct there, and a level of studying your opponent, knowledge of the game, understanding protections, the ins and the outs that go into being in the right place at the right time." In the preseason opener, Jackson blitzed for a sack, then made a diving one-armed interception of a deflected pass, making him the only player in the league with both a sack and a turnover that weekend. He added a second sack in last week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, far exceeding nearly all expectations for him after the draft. The Athletic's Dane Brugler, who gave draftable grades to 25 linebackers, had Jackson ranked as the No. 53 linebacker in this class because he wasn't fast enough or big enough by normal NFL standards. Now, the player who wears a No. 53 jersey for the Bucs has put himself in position to earn a spot on their 53-man roster. If he can add one more strong showing in Saturday's preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills, he could join his close friend in fulfilling their NFL dreams. They took two very different paths, but Hamilton said he can remember when Jackson was the first to get college scholarship offers and he was just trying to keep his grades up to earn an academic scholarship. "It's different paths for everybody, but you have to run your own race," Hamilton said. "He's had a different route, but he's here now and proving himself. I've told him it doesn't matter if you're a first-rounder or undrafted, that once you're in training camp, everybody is in the same position. You just have to go out and prove it." The two friends played against each other once in college, with Hamilton and Notre Dame beating Jackson and Virginia in 2019. If Jackson can make the cut and stick around with the Bucs, they play at Baltimore in 2026, so he'd have a chance to have things go full circle and face his friend on the field once more. Jackson smartly says he can't look that far ahead, as his focus is firmly on Saturday's preseason finale and the good news that could follow as the Buccaneers finalize their roster. Make the cut, and his first NFL game would be back in his hometown of Atlanta as the Buccaneers travel to face the Falcons. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's unreal," Jackson said. "I'm really just thankful, and going out there, I was just trying to play my heart out. You never know in football what play is your last play, so I'm trying to give it all for my teammates every single play." Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! What did you think of this story? share
