NFL Week 15 overreactions
USA TODAY’s Prince Grimes breaks down the best storylines from NFL Week 15.
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The Atlanta Falcons may finally see their top wide receiver return in Week 16.
Atlanta’s first injury report of the week listed Drake London as a limited participant in practice on Dec. 17.
London sustained a knee injury in the final moments of regulation in the Falcons’ Week 11 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 16. He had not returned to the field since suffering the ailment until Atlanta’s first Week 16 practice on Wednesday.
Atlanta’s Week 15 game was the fourth game in a row that London missed thanks to the knee injury. It was also the fifth overall game this season that the third-year receiver was absent from.
Despite missing the Falcons’ last four games, London is still the team leader in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, 20+ yard receptions and receiving first downs.
Here’s the latest injury update for London:
When will Drake London return?
London could be in line to make his return from a PCL sprain in Week 16’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. His return to practice as a limited participant on Dec. 17 was the first time he joined his team on the field since his injury on Nov. 16.
The Falcons’ top wide receiver initially suffered his knee injury in the final moments of regulation in Atlanta’s Week 11 loss to the Panthers. Before Dec. 17, he had missed every practice and game since sustaining the PCL sprain, even after Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told reporters on Dec. 1 that London’s status had been upgraded to “day-to-day” ahead of Week 14.
The wideout missed two more games – in Weeks 14 and 15 – after Morris’ update.
London’s status for Week 16 is still unclear, but his Wednesday return to practice is a positive sign that a return may be on the horizon.
Drake London stats
London recorded more than 100 yards in each of the three games he last appeared in before sustaining his knee injury in Week 11. Here’s how his stats look through 14 weeks and nine games played:
- Targets: 94
- Receptions: 60
- Receiving yards: 810
- Yards/reception: 13.5
- Touchdowns: 6
London’s 13.5 yards per catch would be the highest mark in his career in a single season. The Falcons’ leading receiver is averaging exactly 90 yards per game and, as a result, could still reach the 1,000-yard mark for a second year in a row if he returns next week. London needs three more touchdowns to match his career high of nine, which he set last year.
Falcons WR depth chart
- Drake London (out – knee)
- Darnell Mooney
- David Sills
- Dylan Drummond
- Deven Thompkins
- KhaDarel Hodge
- Jamal Agnew
- Casey Washington
- Malik Heath
The Falcons have many wide receivers on their roster, but very few outside of London have been significant contributors in Atlanta’s passing offense. Despite all of the missed time, London is still the only Falcons wide receiver with more than 25 catches. Tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson are the only other pass-catchers to cross that mark.
Mooney, Washington, Sills, Drummond, Hodge and Thompkins have 58 receptions combined, which cumulatively still ranks fourth behind Pitts (73), London (60) and Robinson (64).
