Rex Grossman

Kirk Cousins will replace Robert Griffin III at quarterback Sunday when the Washington Redskins face the Atlanta Falcons, a high-ranking team official confirmed to ESPN.com.

NFL Network, which had earlier reported Cousins would start, reported that Redskins players have been told that Griffin will be inactive for Sunday's game and veteran Rex Grossman would be the backup quarterback.

Coach Mike Shanahan raised the possibility Monday of benching Griffin for the last three regular-season games, citing 24 sacks in the past five games and the desire to keep him healthy for the offseason. Griffin's offseason work this year was compromised by the major knee injury he suffered in the team's playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks in January.

Cousins has one NFL start in his career -- Week 15 last year against the Browns in Cleveland. He threw for 329 yards on 26-of-37 passing with two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed three times for 22 yards. He was the #7 QB that week. He comes in at #19 in a nice matchup against the Falcons, though he carries some risk since the Redskins organization is a dysfunctional mess right now. Alfred Morris may see a few extra carries, but the defense won't have to respect Cousins' running ability as much, so they can key on Morris. Pierre Garcon looks like an upside WR2, while Jordan Reed -- if healthy -- isn't a bad option at tight end.