Rookie Profile: Michael Penix Jr., Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears
This is the Rookie Profile for Michael Penix Jr., He is a quarterback hailing from Tampa, Florida, and he attended the University of Washington. Penix Jr. was a 3-star recruit from Tampa Bay Technical High School. According to 247 Sports, he was ranked as the 40th best quarterback prospect in the 2018 class.
Four consecutive season-ending injuries mar Penix’s early career at Indiana. It is a shame that he never got to show off his entire repertoire for a full season. In 2018, he tore his ACL, in 2019 dislocated his shoulder, in 2020 he retore the same ACL he tore in 2018. In 2021, he dislocated his throwing shoulder.
After the 2021 season, Penix left Indiana to join his coach Kalen DeBoer at Washington. Penix took off during the 2022 season and showed what college football fans had hoped for. He helped resurrect the Huskies to an 11-2 record, passing for 31 touchdowns and 4,641 yards to just 8 interceptions. He earned the Comeback Player of the Year award, second-team American honors, and a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien award.
In 2023, Penix returned to prove that his success in the previous season was not a one-time fluke. He amazed the college football universe by leading the Washington Huskies to the national championship game with his incredible arm strength. In his final year at Montlake, he improved as a passer. He finished second in the Heisman voting, the highest ever for a Husky, due to his impressive stats: 4,903 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions. With these accomplishments, Penix made it clear to the NFL that he was a serious quarterback prospect.
Michael Penix Jr., the Atlanta Falcons’ 8th overall pick, is the highest a quarterback from the University of Washington has ever been drafted.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Round 1 Pick 8
- When a quarterback is drafted in the top half of the NFL draft, dynasty managers should take notice. Even though Penix’s prospects for the immediate season don’t look promising, his potential for the long-term dynasty is significant. It is not a question of whether but when Penix will become a starting quarterback. When you cut out all the noise, you have a player who will be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Landing Spot- Atlanta Falcons
- It’s difficult to predict with Michael Penix since he could be sitting behind Kirk Cousins for an extended period. However, let’s focus on the players currently on the roster. If Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts are still playing when Michael Penix takes over as the starting quarterback, there’s no better place for him to develop and improve than Atlanta in a Zac Robinson offense.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Atlanta Falcons Starting QB in time
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
Michael Penix has landed in a favorable position, which is great news for everyone hoping for it. However, there’s a catch – Kirk Cousins’ $180 million contract. Penix is a first-round pick, so it’s only a matter of time before he becomes the Falcons’ starting quarterback. If you plan to draft him in the 2.04 rookie drafts, you must be patient. It will be interesting to see how the offense performs when Penix is expected to take over as the starter, given that Drake London and Kyle Pitts will no longer be on rookie contracts. In dynasty, don’t overthink it; you’re getting a top 10 pick in the early to mid-second round of dynasty rookie drafts. That in itself is a win.
Check out The Fantasy Football Universe Sneak Peek Video of Michael Penix
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
