Drake London is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
You’d think the Atlanta Falcons would want to get him the football early and often on Sunday in Week 1 in Pittsburgh against the Steelers.
Instead, though, at least in the early going, London wasn’t involved in what Atlanta’s offense was doing.
Is Drake London Playing Today?
Yes, London is active, healthy and on the field for the Falcons on Sunday. It just wasn’t resulting in production for him.
The Falcons had a quarterback nightmare entering this game which isn’t helping the cause.
Tua Tagovailoa isn’t playing because of an oblique injury sustained this week at practice.
Michael Penix Jr. wasn’t playing as he recovers from his knee injury from last season.
That left Cooper Rush as the starter, which left a lot of doubt about what this offense could actually achieve.
Rush’s first seven passes targeted players that weren’t London.
He went to Bijan Robinson on four of those — all catches for 41 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown.
He also targeted Kyle Pitts once, not a completion, and Jahan Dotson twice, neither completed. One of the throws to Dotson’s direction was picked off.
Drake London Outlook
London is still one of the best players in football, even though he’s not getting the early action.
Last year, in just 12 games, he had 68 catches for 919 yards and seven touchdowns.
The year prior was London’s best — 100 catches for 1,271 yards and nine TDs.
London got paid this offseason, rightfully so, and he’s now hoping to have a healthier and bigger season.
The QB thing makes it all messy, though. It doesn’t have to be London’s fault, but he’s going to have stretches where the ball doesn’t always come his way, or come his way accurately.
That was the case to open the season on Sunday.
London will get more action going forward, for sure, and it might be sooner rather than later.
But if he was hoping for a big first quarter or first half in the first game of the season, he missed out on that.
Is Drake London Playing Today? Why Falcons’ WR Is Off To Slow Start