- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,245,584
- Reaction score
- 59
When the Atlanta Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, it created massive expectations for the former Florida Gators tight end. Pitts lived up to the hype during his rookie season, topping 1,000 receiving yards as the team's No. 1 option.
However, Pitts' production fell off a cliff after the team traded quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. Things only got worse once Pitts suffered a knee injury 10 games into his sophomore season.
In 2025, Pitts put himself back on the map with an 88-catch, 928-yard campaign. This bounce-back year helped the former top-five pick land a three-year, $54 million contract extension to stay in Atlanta through 2028.
Pitts' production put him back on the map in the world of fantasy football. NFL.com's Matt Okada listed Pitts among the biggest fantasy values at tight end ahead of the 2026 season.
"New offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was the Browns’ tight ends coach in 2024 and OC in 2025, when the Browns ranked fourth and second in tight end targets, respectively," wrote Okada. "Also, Pitts saw a career-low 7.2 air yards per target last year, per Next Gen Stats. With a potentially larger target share and better efficiency, Pitts should maintain his spot in the top tier of fantasy tight ends, making him a value pick two rounds behind Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren."
Despite his big year, fans are rightfully cautious about using a high fantasy draft pick on Pitts. The lack of consistency from year to year makes it hard to have confidence in the sixth-year tight end. The fact that the Falcons have not named a starting quarterback certainly doesn't help the situation.
However, as Okada pointed out, Stefanski's offenses are very tight end friendly. Plus, if you consider the fact that the Falcons lack a clear No. 2 option at wide receiver, Pitts should have every opportunity to pick up where he left off in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Kyle Pitts ranked among best TE values for 2026 fantasy season
Continue reading...
However, Pitts' production fell off a cliff after the team traded quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. Things only got worse once Pitts suffered a knee injury 10 games into his sophomore season.
In 2025, Pitts put himself back on the map with an 88-catch, 928-yard campaign. This bounce-back year helped the former top-five pick land a three-year, $54 million contract extension to stay in Atlanta through 2028.
Pitts' production put him back on the map in the world of fantasy football. NFL.com's Matt Okada listed Pitts among the biggest fantasy values at tight end ahead of the 2026 season.
"New offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was the Browns’ tight ends coach in 2024 and OC in 2025, when the Browns ranked fourth and second in tight end targets, respectively," wrote Okada. "Also, Pitts saw a career-low 7.2 air yards per target last year, per Next Gen Stats. With a potentially larger target share and better efficiency, Pitts should maintain his spot in the top tier of fantasy tight ends, making him a value pick two rounds behind Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren."
Despite his big year, fans are rightfully cautious about using a high fantasy draft pick on Pitts. The lack of consistency from year to year makes it hard to have confidence in the sixth-year tight end. The fact that the Falcons have not named a starting quarterback certainly doesn't help the situation.
However, as Okada pointed out, Stefanski's offenses are very tight end friendly. Plus, if you consider the fact that the Falcons lack a clear No. 2 option at wide receiver, Pitts should have every opportunity to pick up where he left off in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Kyle Pitts ranked among best TE values for 2026 fantasy season
Continue reading...
