The hype train surrounding Atlanta Falcons rookie receiver Zachariah Branch left the station fairly quickly, but seems to have already returned. He shined during OTAs and early on during training camp, but once the pads came on for good, Branch fizzled into the background a bit as a smaller WR.
The third-round rookie was expected to push for a key role in 2026 and he still will, but Branch spent the entire summer behind Olamide Zaccheus on the Falcons' depth chart, and it doesn't seem like a mirage. When it came to Atlanta's Week 1 depth chart, he was still listed as WR4 behind Zaccheus.
Upon first glance you would think this is a bad sign for a player the Falcons drafted with the 79th overall pick just a couple of months ago. But the fact of the matter is that even if he doesn't start, he has a specialized skillset that'll make it easy to see the field until he does enough to become the WR3.
Don't worry about Zachariah Branch not being listed as a Week 1 starter
Typically in 2-WR sets, it would be Drake London and Jahan Dotson, and London, Dotson, and Zaccheus in three-receiver sets, but the 22-year-old is a different player. He's more explosive and versatile than any other player in this receiver room, and this coaching staff is well aware of that fact.
The good news is that the Falcons really only have four wide receivers in the mix to play every-down roles, so he's an injury away from being a true starter. But let's remember that the only guy standing in his way is someone with one 500-yard season in his career, so his time with the 2s may be short-lived.
Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees saw how Mike Bobo utilized Zachariah Branch at Georgia. He was more of a gadget guy, so if you think they don't have specialized packages not just to get him on the field early on this season, but find ways to get the ball in his hands, you must not be in the know.
You don't need to have a copy of "Play-calling for Dummies" to know the Dirty Birds are going to keep Branch involved in the offense regardless of whether or not he starts. You have the fact he'll be the primary return man, but given he'll have more of a route tree than he did last year, he'll have more chances to make an impact beyond just being a gadget guy.
In the wise words of former Philadelphia 76ers GM Sam Hinkie, trust the process. Zachariah Branch is going to get his opportunities to display the potential we saw this summer, even if it doesn't happen overnight like other rookies.
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