I will be drafting from the No. Rookie tight ends typically dont make much of a fantasy impact. It is worth proceeding with slight caution due to Pete Carroll's historic track record of utilizing multiple backs, which could lead the Seahawks to bring in a running back in the NFL Draft or free agency, but Walker proved that he can be the guy for an offense. Pitts, however, seemed to display a much quicker maturation process. Gronk and Kelce are too big. DraftKings Week 3 XFL DFS Tournament Plays, NFL Combine Preview: Major Fantasy Questions, DraftKings Week 2 XFL DFS Tournament Plays, DraftKings Week 1 XFL Intro and DFS Tournament Plays, Advanced Matchups: Conference Championships. Pitts lived up to the expectation that he would be one of, if not the best, rookie tight end ever. This is the exact route we will need Pitts to master in the NFL. Sans Superflex formats, as sold as I have been with Najee Harris at No. Pitts may be the most talented college TE I have seen in my 43-year lifetime. However, it's impossible to ignore a top-five consensus Dynasty running back still being available towards the back end of Round 2. Thats as dominant as dominant gets and its the way Pitts did it that really grabbed scouts attention. And if you have him, the only move is to plan on starting Kyle Pitts. 59 overall, 7/20 half-PPR mock: Round 5, No. Kyle Pitts Fantasy Rookie Forecast NFL | Fantasy Football Written by Nick Lemma June 11, 2021 Kyle Pitts Fantasy Historically drafting a tight end in the first round has not played out well for teams, but Kyle Pitts is a different calibre of player that could help break that trend. Youve now completed your Big Board, but if you want to save it youll need to become a TDN Premium member. The majority of top TE prospects take an uncoordinated path to that end frankly, as uncoordinated as their bodies following common late growth spurts. , so lets take a look at what Pitts can do for your fantasy team this season. And even more important should you be willing to buy back into Pitts this season? There is also the chance that we see a change in QB as the Falcons drafted, Additionally, Pitts should continue to see heavy volume and very easily could top his 110 targets from last year. pic.twitter.com/kdtiUp7SQk. The only factor holding Kittle back is his injury history. Just look at what he does at 3:42. In the 12 weeks following wide receiver Calvin Ridleys absence, Gage averaged about one more target than Pitts. Only Engram averaged more than 8.0/game (2019) or more than 7.0/game (2017). As for Waller, he and Pitts share a similar physical archetype as bigger-bodied wide receivers rather than your typical tight end. First, you can see Robinson's value according to me in a one-quarterback league right here. 79 overall. Unfortunately, his 2022 season was a nightmare for fantasy players. He just plays too fast for a kid his size to cover in man. This is an extremely revealing data point. Watching that game in real time failed to leave the same impression I came away with on second viewing. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: fantasynews | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Prior to Mariotas arrival, Walker had never finished better than the ninth-best fantasy tight end. Stroud, but I would absolutely be trying to trade that third pick to get Robinson as well. This is a great question and one I should probably answer at least once per year. The hype train regarding Kyle Pitts fantasy football outlook began to gain momentum after the Atlanta Falcons drafted him with the No. At still just 24 years old, there's no reason Taylor should fall outside of the Top 5 of Dynasty startups, and he can remain a cornerstone building block. Even after former HC Jim McElwain was dismissed in 2015, Pitts remained loyal. I don't ever know for sure what kind of responses I'm going to get when I put out the call for Dynasty Fantasy Football questions on Twitter. Which player that is under the radar currently could you see being a breakout in the near future at their position. WebAll Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Kyle Pitts We can also see that, at this stage, Pitts has become entirely comfortable lining up wide. Had they closed off the middle in Cover 3, the deep safety wouldve been all over this seam route. Walker showcased exactly why he had insane hype coming out of Michigan State in his rookie campaign, and he completely took over this backfield as the season progressed. The 2021 #4 overall pick finished with 110 targets, 68 receptions, and 1,026 yards. And he appears perfectly comfortable in a three-point stance, attached to the O-line in his very first season at the position. Pitts utilizes a skinny post while tossing the mismatched CB aside. Adding him as a flex option is a fantastic selection this far along in the draft. While Pitts situation in Atlanta didnt get better, his situation among the top fantasy tight ends didnt get worse. Thats not uncommon tight ends tend to take more time to develop at every level (how often do rookie TEs put up big numbers in the NFL?). I would not be looking to sell Kyle Pitts. at By the end of his recruiting cycle, Pitts had been offered by Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Oklahoma, Miami (FL), and 15 other programs. Kelce ran 245-of-606 (40%) routes out wide this season. Waller led all NFL TEs this season with a 27% target share. he was available for the next game. Draft Pick Analysis: If this were an actual draft, the clock would've run out on me as I stared between Pitts' and Pollard's names on the draft board. Kyle Pitts could be the top tight end to draft in fantasy football. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. That is something scouts questioned coming out of high school. WebKyle Pitts or Michael Pittman Jr. Who Should I Draft? In fact, it may have gotten better. But if you assign Pitts a draft position of 6.0, weight of 245 pounds, 40 time of 4.50 seconds and bench press of 22 reps, not one single player has a similarity score He managed to make SEC players look outclassed thanks in large part to his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame mixed with 4.44 speed. Kyle Pitts was drafted #4 overall in the 2021 draft and for good reason. Kyle Pitts Fantasy Rookie Forecast NFL | Fantasy Football Written by Nick Lemma June 11, 2021 Kyle Pitts Fantasy Historically drafting a tight end in the first Evaluating Pitts from the four keys to TE fantasy success listed above: (1) Speed? I still believe in the talent, he'll still be just 22 years old at the start of the season, his situation is unlikely to get worse, and his price has never been lower. If you truly don't know if you're a contender or not, I'd plan on holding Diggs for at least a month to find out. The Atlanta Falcons made history Thursday night, selecting Florida tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. These two face off again at 3:14, Stingley doing everything he can to separate Pitts from the ball on yet another post. I actually have CeeDee Lamb ahead of Robinson by himself, so I don't love that trade at all. I am not anticipating that well see Pitts utilized much on deep passes but, as Ill get to in a bit, his ability against man coverage is truly special. Even if Patterson and Edwards carve out sizable roles, Pitts should easily be the more involved player. (4) Proper coordination to motion across the formation to maximize mismatching purposes? Should Pitts test out the way I think he will at his Pro Day, he could end up being selected at No. Check out the play at 0:33. Those concerns dont exist with Pitts.. The next highest player on the list was Waller, with 151-of-559. I wont lie, going from Matt Ryan to Marcus Mariota or Desmond Ridder is a downgrade, but it might not be for Pitts., Mariota heavily relied on his tight end during his tenure as a starter with the Titans. Pitts ADP (Average Draft Position) places him behind Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews and ahead of George Kittle and Darren Waller, per FantasyPros. If you had to give up 1.02, I'd probably try to get by with adding two second-round picks, but could be talked into 1.02 and 1.11 for Robinson. You can view more current content marked with a FREE banner, Using an out-and-up route, Pitts gives an ever-so-slight shove on Delpit to create space for the big play. Fortunately for Pitts, his skillset allows him to be used in multiple ways. 4 overall pick in the NFL draft. I do not love taking him in the second round, but if Pitts is sitting there in the third round and if early best ball drafts are an indicator, he often will be Pitts is a bet worth taking. His 20 percent target share ranked third among tight ends and he was just one of three to see five or more targets in 15 games. Sportsline's Jacob Gibbs dove a bit deeper into Pitts' 2021 outlook and also his Dynasty forecast -- you'll find that here. As you can see, these routes can be very different, especially at 7:49 and 8:47, requiring Pitts to anticipate contact from behind. section: | slug: kyle-pitts-fantasy-football-2021-changes-in-adp-mock-draft-tracker-offseason-updates-on-falcons-tight-end | sport: football | route: article_single_fantasy | And to be honest, I have those same questions in a couple of my own leagues. As an RB3 on my roster, I can live with the potential range of outcomes. sms. For example, there is a perception by some that Kyle Pitts was a bust last season and that could not be further from reality., When Pitts was drafted with the fourth overall pick, as the first non-QB off the board, expectations just shot up and up. Pitts suffered a nose in the win over Georgia. Over the last 10 seasons, T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, Hayden Hurst, O.J. He discussed the situation with one of the coaches who convinced him to sign with UF, JaJuan Seider, who assured him that he would continue to be in good hands under new HC Dan Mullen. If he sees an uptick in targets which is expected and efficiency, he could provide league-winning upside.. The Atlanta Falcons selected Kyle Pitts with the 4th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and he was the first non-QB selected. Mariota should once again expect to heavily rely on his tight end in this system., There is also the chance that we see a change in QB as the Falcons drafted Desmond Ridder in the third round as the second QB in this year's NFL Draft. I can see the argument for that, and I have no real problem with valuing Robinson as the third-best player in Dynasty leagues, behind only Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. tweet. Waller averaged 7.2 FPG, or 39%, in those situations. sms. If Pitts lands with a top-five QB, he could break rookie TE records. Burks as the WR1 for your Dynasty roster is a risky strategy going into the next season. What to do with Kyle Pitts? (5) Featured role in passing game plan? His incredible wingspan, overall athleticism, and unprecedented versatility make it Avenues towards attempting to predict a TE averaging close to 20 FPG would begin and end with looking at Kelce and Waller repeating their 2020 results. Fantasy Football Mock Draft 1.0. Kyle Pitts's fantasy value is measured by the players he could be traded for. Currently, on FFPC his ADP is 19th overall. It wouldn't shock me at all at this time next year to see Wilson's name in the first round of Dynasty Startups. 1 red-zone option, especially since we know new Falcons head coach and playcaller Arthur Smith loves to utilize tight ends.. Just in case opposing defenses needed another reminder why LBs should not be responsible for Pitts, Trask stares down his go-to target as he gets behind the entire defense in Cover 3 for a 70-yard scoring strike. Even with a down year - due to some poor quarterback play - Pitts is still going to be just 22 years old when the 2023 NFL season commences, so we shouldn't let his value go too far down the board. His 20 percent target share ranked third among tight ends and he was just one of three to see five or more targets in 15 games. Where should he go in your drafts? Essentially, dont expect the Falcons to match their eighth-highest pass rates from 2021 in 2022. Our very first example of a deep target to Pitts isnt shown until the 0:53 mark, completely handling a CB in man coverage on the back-shoulder go. I have Jonathon Taylor, Kenneth Walker and Deandre Swift as my main RBs. Free shipping for many products! Grant ed he was a rookie, its still an underwhelming year to year fantasy profile from someone we are projecting to Not only is Pitts's failure to live up to lofty expectations last year a reason some people are not jumping back in, but so is the change in QB. Thats a ton of production on routes with mostly shorter stems. The stuff he did in the Alabama game cannot be described with words. Kelce also led NFL TEs with 12.6 FPG, or 57%, of his scoring on plays where he was in motion. I would give up 1.02 and 1.10 and a second for Robinson. The Atlanta Falcons have one of the NFL's best tight pic.twitter.com/E80uVePnwK, Be honest should I have done this trade? I have picks 2, 4, 6, 10 and 12 in the rookie draft. Despite coming into the league at the age of 20, he did not disappoint. Draft Pick Analysis: Burks certainly did not have an out-of-this-world productive rookie season, but that doesn't mean we should be completely off of the former Arkansas wideout from a Dynasty standpoint. Specifically, with Arthur Smith, who was the OC in Tennessee and now the head coach in Atlanta, it was 23 percent. pin. Pitts and London are in a position to each see a very high target share in this offense. I agree to receive the "Fantasy Football Draft Kit" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. As for tight end, I'm buying several of the second-year tight ends, but especially Greg Dulcich, Trey McBride, and Cade Otton. Pitts accumulated an average stat line of 2.8 receptions for 35.6 yards and .2 touchdowns per game last season. *All ADP data is courtesy of FantasyFootballCalculator.comand for half-point PPR scoring. If you boosted Pitts from one to six touchdowns, making him just an average touchdown scorer, he would have finished last year as the overall TE3 in fantasy and the TE6 in fantasy PPG. 3:47 pm ET, Quentin Johnston: Rookie scouting profile, Dynasty TE rankings: Watch the free agents. Atlanta replaced their veteran pocket passer with Marcus Mariota, who offers much more mobility and far less certainty. Subscription, Early-March Top 10 Defensive Back IDP Rankings, 5 RBs to Buy In Dynasty Before NFL Free Agency, 4.06 - DeVonta Smith (WR - Philadelphia Eagles), 6.02 - D.J. Doing so made him the highest-drafted tight end (TE) in the history of the league. It caps his upside as the potential TE1 in fantasy, which brings us to. With question marks like DAndre Swift and Kyle Pitts, this could be a difficult starting lineup to work with. Pitts was advertised as a Swiss Army Knife that can line up as a traditional tight end, as well as out wide or in the slot like a receiver and that is exactly what he did in 2021. WebGet advice on your decision to draft A.J. I doubt it. Then, when Pitts finished as the overall TE6 and TE11 in fantasy PPG, many were disappointed. For anyone with a reasonable amount of fantasy experience, one thing is remarkably clear: the dearth of consistent production out of the tight end position is severe. Devlin fell in love with Pitts ability, so much so that he played him on both sides of the ball. Yet, they were only 19th in pass attempts. In 2022 Kyle Pitts played 10 games and accumulated 28 receptions for 356 yards and 2 touchdowns for a grand total of 47.6 fantasy points. send. Free shipping for many products! But, with all of that being said: the fact that Pitts currently finds himself with a top-50 average draft position (ADP) in most fantasy football leagues absolutely smacks He should be drafted as a top-six TE with the kind of upside that could challenge the top-three at the position, even as a rookie. His Average Draft Position on CBS Sports is at 51.34 overall, and I'm not sure he should be drafted in Round 5. Kelce and Andrews are rightfully in a class of their own; theyre proven top scorers at the position. He lined up in the slot the ninth most of all tight ends. There is enough talent around Pitts that should help take some defensive coverage away from him, but not enough to funnel volume away. Lastly, the biggest thing in fantasy sports is draft cost. We offer recommendations from 35+ fantasy baseball experts! We need Pitts on the field on both play action and RPOs in order to justify selecting him first overall. He's truly one of the game's best young up-and-coming wideouts, and he has a bright future ahead of him. Kyle Ringstad provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters. You likely have heard that saying before and while it is often true there is certainly one area where it is not: in fantasy football. Hopefully, your team (or injury luck) will make that clear. Fantasy Football Mock Draft 1.0 Fantasy Football. Im not going to mince my words. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Judging from these Archbishop Wood highlights, to say I am blown away by Pitts would be a massive understatement. Playing within the right offense, opposing defenses will be forced to specifically scheme to contain him. Waller was listed as a WR for Georgia Techs former triple-option offense at 6-foot-6, 241 pounds. While it will also read as obvious, it is still of monumental importance when evaluating TE prospects. 64 overall, 6/16 full-PPR mock: Round 3, No. pin. Truly remarkable. (3) Ability to produce on NFL routes. Affirmative. If you have Jonathan Taylor and Kenneth Walker, it's completely understandable you'd be considering trading Swift. Truly scary. If he's still available by Round 5, take him in seasonal leagues. Hunter Renfrow will almost assuredly still hold a special place in Derek Carrs heart, too. As well as two 1s next year (likely 2 mid firsts) . Looking at the plays at 2:17 and 2:34 facing Georgia, Pitts can be seen manipulating his coverage unlike any TE Ive seen in college football. 1 receiving option for this offense for the foreseeable future. How can that be explained? (2) Ability to excel from a detached alignment? The fact that he doesnt snag this with his hands can be considered preference. I'm here to help with a 1QB startup mock before 2023 NFL Free Agency. Adding youthful talent to your Dynasty roster is a must for every manager, but it all comes down to roster construction. When Pitts was drafted, he was labeled as the best rookie tight end in quite some time arguably ever. But he could be a monster rushing punts in the NFL with his long arms and edge-bending ability around blocks. And theyve been treated as such. To sum it up, go get Bijan Robinson if you can. 2.6k shares. It's not uncommon for Dynasty managers to get to the 15th round and not recognize many of the names that are staring them in the face, let alone the two- to three-year prognosis for these players. It wasnt until he attended a camp at Temple University that the FBS scholarship offers started pouring into his mailbox. Should You Draft Pitts? I referenced this play above (1:23) as allowing the pass into his body. Imagine if LeBron James played football, and that is more or less Kyle Pitts. An additional example is shown at 3:46. Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, the Colts are committed to finding a long-term answer at football's most important position, and that could be the key for Pittman working his way up the Dynasty rankings. Weight-adjusted speed is the ultimate key. And if anything, I may be lower than the consensus that seems to be he's already RB1 overall. 10 team ppr superflex. To summarize, with a very promising incoming class of tight ends, in addition to landing in a perfect situation, we hope to see: Unfortunately, the fifth factor cant be evaluated into existence. 10:35 pm ET. The Atlanta Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts at the #4 spot in the 2021 NFL Draft. He also appears to be faster than defenders who should have the speed advantage. Guys like A.J. Before we dig into the story on Kyle Pitts, lets touch on the difference-making potential in fantasy from truly special performers at the tight end position.For anyone with a reasonable amount of fantasy experience, one thing is remarkably clear: the dearth of consistent production He's also a player with a questionable role and spotty injury history. You likely have heard that saying before and while it is often true there is certainly one area where it is not: in fantasy football. Pitts missed 3 practices ahead of Week 5, then was ruled out on Friday. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. "Matthew Berry, ESPN. I would rather give up 1.04 and 1.06 and a second. Before we dig in, keep in mind that he does not have the benefit of facing vanilla competition. Despite coming into the league at the age of 20, he did not disappoint. I agree to receive the "Fantasy Football Today Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. After his rookie year, it looked like he would be a star. These gaps in zone coverage will show up on every play, but recognition can be tricky. Youll need to watch individual game footage, but Pitts run blocking technique has also greatly improved over the liability from his sophomore season. We have one of the most uniquely gifted TEs in the history of the game. However, I do not feel he will need as much time for his route running, receiving production to translate.