Taylor Heinicke
31-Year-Old
2023 Pass/Rush Stats
YDS
890
TD
5
INT
4
YDS
124
TD
1
2024 Projections
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Heinicke took a pay cut to stay in Atlanta this season and back up new starter Kirk Cousins. But then the Falcons drafted Michael Penix eighth overall, dropping Heinicke to third string. But who knows? Cousins is coming off a season-ending Achilles injury and Penix is no sure thing. Heinicke is next man up. The 2015 undrafted free agent started 28 games the last three years, four in 2023 in place of Desmond Ridder, who was traded this offseason. But while he has starting experience, none of it was all that good. In five games last season, his 65.4 on-target percentage ranked 43rd among 45 QBs with at least 135 attempts, and he had just five TD passes to four interceptions. Heinicke is at least mobile -- 110 rush yards, TD in four starts. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Accepts pay cut
Heinicke took a pay cut in March to stay with the Falcons, reducing his $5 million base salary to $1.21 million, ESPN.com's Michael Rothstein reports.
ANALYSIS
He also converted a $1.32 million roster bonus to a signing bonus and agreed to remove the $40,000 per-game roster bonuses from his contract. He's left with $2.53 million in real-money compensation for the second and final year of his deal, with a $4.53 million cap hit. Heinicke is in excellent position for the backup QB role behind Kirk Cousins, after Desmond Ridder was traded to Arizona for Rondale Moore in mid-March. The Falcons still have time to bring in competition, but it may not be a priority given that Heinicke's track record suggests he's qualified for the second spot on the depth chart. They'll at least need to bring in a camp arm or two, seeing as Cousins and Heinicke are the only QBs on the roster at the beginning of April.
He also converted a $1.32 million roster bonus to a signing bonus and agreed to remove the $40,000 per-game roster bonuses from his contract. He's left with $2.53 million in real-money compensation for the second and final year of his deal, with a $4.53 million cap hit. Heinicke is in excellent position for the backup QB role behind Kirk Cousins, after Desmond Ridder was traded to Arizona for Rondale Moore in mid-March. The Falcons still have time to bring in competition, but it may not be a priority given that Heinicke's track record suggests he's qualified for the second spot on the depth chart. They'll at least need to bring in a camp arm or two, seeing as Cousins and Heinicke are the only QBs on the roster at the beginning of April.
NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Taylor Heinicke's 2023 advanced stats compare to other quarterbacks?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank.
The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
Bad Pass %
22.8%Avg Target Depth
7.6 YdsSack Rate
5.6%Avg Receiver YAC
7.1 YdsReceiver Drop %
2.9%Loading Advanced NFL Stats...
2023
2022
2021
2020
2018
2017
2016
2023 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
2023 Taylor Heinicke Split Stats
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Taylor Heinicke See More
A pair of QB trades were overshadowed by the Chargers' decision to ship WR Keenan Allen to the Bears.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Being evaluated by new coordinator
New Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said in his introductory news conference Wednesday that "all options are on the table" with respect to the team's quarterback position in 2024, meaning Heinicke will presumably have a chance to make a case for a starting job, Michael Rothstein of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
Rothstein notes Robinson, despite being a first-time coordinator, has already been exposed to a variety of quarterback skill sets, given he worked with the eclectic trio of Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield during his time with the Rams. Of those three, Heinicke is closest in style to Mayfield, but Robinson has still to decide what type of offense he'll install. Heinicke would have an uphill battle to gain consideration for a starting job on almost any other team after completing just 54.4 percent of his passes and throwing for five touchdowns and four interceptions in 2023, but given his present competition is the equally middling Desmond Ridder, the veteran may have a chance in Atlanta.
Rothstein notes Robinson, despite being a first-time coordinator, has already been exposed to a variety of quarterback skill sets, given he worked with the eclectic trio of Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield during his time with the Rams. Of those three, Heinicke is closest in style to Mayfield, but Robinson has still to decide what type of offense he'll install. Heinicke would have an uphill battle to gain consideration for a starting job on almost any other team after completing just 54.4 percent of his passes and throwing for five touchdowns and four interceptions in 2023, but given his present competition is the equally middling Desmond Ridder, the veteran may have a chance in Atlanta.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
An undrafted free agent in 2015, Heinicke finally carved out a playing career the last couple years in Washington. He turned that into a two-year $14 million contract with Atlanta in March, a decent deal for a backup quarterback. He enters training camp No. 2 behind Desmond Ridder, after opening last year as the backup in Washington and ending up a nine-game starter. While he went 12-11-1 as a starter, Heinicke was far from prolific. In 25 games, he completed 64.0 percent of his attempts (23rd) with a 72.0 on-target percentage (22nd). His 7.0 YPA ranked 24th, and his 21 interceptions gave him a 2.8 INT percentage, the seventh-highest rate in the league. Heinicke isn't likely to start putting up big numbers if he ends up playing in Atlanta, where eighth overall pick Bijan Robinson joins Tyler Allgeier in the backfield for an offense that finished second in run rate last season and has virtually no receiving depth behind 22-year-olds Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
More Fantasy News
Future in Atlanta murky
Heinicke is poised to drop to No. 3 on Atlanta's depth chart with the team slated to sign Kirk Cousins (Achilles), Michael Rothstein of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Listed as emergency QB
Heinicke (ankle) is inactive for Sunday's matchup against the Saints, but he'll operate as the emergency quarterback, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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Aiming to play Sunday
Heinicke (ankle) remains questionable for Sunday's game against the Saints but is hopeful to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
ANALYSIS
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Gets questionable tag for Week 18
The Falcons list Heinicke (ankle) as questionable for Sunday's game against the Saints, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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Another limited practice
Heinicke (ankle) practiced in a limited fashion Thursday, Amna Subhan of the Falcons' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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