Pitts is due for a big game, and this is a great matchup for it to happen against the Chiefs. Kansas City is No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and Isaiah Likely and Mike Gesicki each scored at least 16.1 PPR points against the Chiefs in two games. Pitts does have a touchdown in two games this year, but he only has six catches for 46 yards on seven targets to go with it. Hopefully, Pitts will have his breakout game in Week 3 against Kansas City.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Another quiet effort Monday
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Pitts secured three of four targets for 20 yards in the Falcons' 22-21 win over the Eagles on Monday night.
Pitts did have a key 11-yard reception, his longest of the night, to open the Falcons' game-winning drive, but his fantasy production was undeniably disappointing. Through two games, Pitts' fantasy managers have to be somewhat worried about a reprisal of his last two lackluster campaigns, but it's also fair to note Kirk Cousins still is developing chemistry with all his pass catchers, and the offense as a whole is adapting to Zac Robinson's scheme. Pitts will aim to be more involved in a Week 3 home matchup against the Chiefs on Sunday night.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Finds end zone in Week 1
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Pitts recorded three receptions on three targets for 26 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 18-10 loss to the Steelers.
The distribution of targets in Atlanta was surprising, as Ray-Ray McCloud led the team with seven looks followed by Bijan Robinson. In that context, Pitts had a decent showing that was highlighted by a 12-yard touchdown late in the first half. Pitts has never found the end zone more than three times in a season and hadn't scored earlier than Week 5 entering 2024. Despite the disappointing volume Sunday, Kirk Cousins should elevate the Falcons' offense, in turn improving Pitts' production.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Cleared for Sunday
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Pitts (hamstring) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.
Pitts was limited Wednesday before resuming full practice participation Thursday and Friday. He should be ready for a full workload in his first game with QB Kirk Cousins and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson -- a duo that many expect to propel Pitts to a breakout season.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Gets back to full practice Thursday
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Pitts (hamstring) practiced fully Thursday.
One day removed from showing up on the Falcons' initial Week 1 injury report as limited due to a hamstring issue, Pitts handled every practice rep Thursday, following up his own comment from Wednesday that he'd be 100 percent for Sunday's contest against the Steelers, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. Pitts has a new context heading into 2024 with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins on board, which may allow the fourth-year tight end to tap into the talent that resulted in a huge rookie receiving line (68-1,026-1 on 110 targets in 17 regular-season games) in the 2021 campaign.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Plans to be 100 percent Sunday
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Pitts (hamstring) said that he expects to be 100 percent healthy for Sunday's season opener against the Steelers, despite being listed as a limited participant in practice Wednesday, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
Pitts said that his limitations at Wednesday's practice will only amount to missing a play or two, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, when asked if there are any concerns about Pitts' status for Week 1, William McFadden of the Falcons' official site reports that head coach Raheem Morris answered, "not for me." The athletic tight end will have two more chances to upgrade to full practice participation, but even if he carries an injury designation into the weekend, fantasy managers should have some degree of confidence in Pitts being able to play Sunday. With the arrival of Kirk Cousins under center, Pitts may be primed for a true breakout campaign while paired with the best quarterback play of his four-year career.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Among starters held out Friday
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Pitts is listed among starters the Falcons announced are not expected to suit up for Friday's road preseason matchup against Miami, Tori McElhaney of the team's official site reports.
Pitts, who had his 2025 fifth-year option exercised by Atlanta earlier this offseason, stands to sit out Friday's preseason opener along with most of the Falcons' first-team offense and defense. The fourth-year tight end is a popular breakout candidate for the 2024 season due to the arrival of Kirk Cousins under center, in addition to being another year removed from the MCL sprain in his right knee that prematurely ended his 2022 campaign. Pitts' next chance to take the field for preseason action will come Aug. 17 against Baltimore on the road.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Has 2025 option exercised
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The Falcons exercised Pitts' 2025 fifth-year option, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
It's a no-brainer move for the Falcons, even if Pitts, the No. 8 overall pick of the 2021 Draft, is coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons after going over 1,000 yards as a rookie. The hope in Atlanta is that the acquisition of Kirk Cousins coupled with the new coaching staff can help maximize Pitts' abilities. Pitts' figures to be a popular 2024 rebound candidate in both real life and fantasy football.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Gets quarterback upgrade
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Pitts looks set to benefit from improved quarterback play in 2024 after Kirk Cousins (Achilles) agreed Monday with Atlanta on a four-year, $180 million contract.
Pitts could be the Falcons' skill-position player most primed to benefit from a quarterback upgrade. After beginning his NFL career with a 1,026-yard rookie campaign while paired with a former league MVP in Matt Ryan in 2021, Pitts has since turned in 356- and 667-yard efforts while he's been on the receiving end of passes from Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, in addition to battling injuries. Even coming off an Achilles' tendon tear, Cousins likely represents the best quarterback that Pitts has played with recently, and the tight end will also have the benefit of coming out of the offseason at full health. He spent considerable time last offseason rehabbing from an MCL sprain, which may have contributed to his slow start to the 2023 season. Along with improved health and the change at quarterback, Pitts should benefit from the departure of fellow tight end Jonnu Smith, a favorite of former head coach Arthur Smith who often poached snaps from Pitts.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: TEs to Sit
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Pitts had another down game in Week 17 at Chicago with one catch for 5 yards on five targets, and it's tough to trust him in Week 18 at New Orleans. He had two catches for 22 yards on two targets against the Saints in Week 12, and New Orleans has held five of the past six opposing tight ends to 8.0 PPR points or less. Pitts also has just nine catches for 111 yards and no touchdowns in four career games against the Saints.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Finds end zone in win
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Pitts brought in three of four targets for 49 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons' 29-10 win over the Colts on Sunday.
The talented but often underused tight end was able to put the Falcons on the board for the first time on the afternoon with a 24-yard scoring grab in the first quarter, his second touchdown in the last three games. Pitts' three-catch tally was also his third straight, and he could have a chance at more productive outings over the last two games of the season with Taylor Heinicke now at quarterback in place of the inconsistent Desmond Ridder.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: TEs to Sit
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In one start with Taylor Heinicke in Week 9 against Minnesota, Pitts had four catches for 56 yards on five targets. We'll see if Heinicke leans on Pitts more in his second stint as the starter for the Falcons, but it's still difficult to trust Pitts in the majority of leagues. He only has two touchdowns on the season and one game with more than 60 receiving yards. The Colts have only allowed two receiving touchdowns to tight ends this year, and Pitts should only be started in deeper Fantasy leagues in Week 16.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: TEs to Sit
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Pitts already faced Tampa Bay in Week 7 and finished that game with three catches for 47 yards on five targets. He comes into Week 14 in the rematch having scored 6.5 PPR points or less in three of his past five outings, and he only has one touchdown this season. There's no reason to trust Pitts in the majority of leagues in Week 14.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: TEs to Sit
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Pitts continues to struggle and is not worth starting in most Fantasy leagues in Week 13 at the Jets. In his past two games, Pitts has five catches for 52 yards and no touchdown on just seven targets. He hasn't scored a touchdown in five games in a row, and he's been held to under 50 receiving yards in five of his past six outings. We're headed toward another lost season for Pitts, and Fantasy managers are on the verge of dropping him in the majority of leagues.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Limited to two catches in win
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Pitts hauled in both targets for 22 yards in the Falcons' 24-15 win over the Saints on Sunday.
The talented tight end was once again a virtual afterthought in the air attack, dispelling any hopes that he might have a more expanded role coming out of the team's Week 11 bye. Pitts has topped four receptions just twice all season and last accomplished the feat in Week 5, while the 56 yards he mustered against the Vikings in Week 9 serves as his high-water mark in that category since that contest as well.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Contrarian DFS Play
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There is a real chance that Arthur Smith is coaching for his job down the stretch and there is a real chance this game against New Orleans plays a large role in determining his fate. Knowing that, I expect Smith to make full use of his best players. Pitts is still one of the best athletes playing the position.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Sleeper TEs
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I'm going to give Pitts another chance (again) as a low-end starter in all leagues with this matchup against the Cardinals in Week 10. I'm hopeful he'll see more than five targets, which is all he's gotten in each of the past three weeks, and he still managed four catches for 56 yards and 9.6 PPR points in Week 9 against Minnesota. Typically, that puts you on the cusp of a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in PPR, but we expect more from Pitts. I'm hopeful that the Taylor Heinicke-Pitts connection starts to come through this week, and I'm sticking with Pitts as a No. 1 Fantasy option in all leagues. As for Jonnu Smith, he's also a borderline starter for Week 10. Arizona has allowed a tight end to score in each of the past two games.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: No injury designation
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Pitts missed Friday's practice for personal reasons but doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Pitts is temporarily away from the team for the birth of his son. It won't impact his availability for Sunday, and if he scores his second TD of the season it's a safe bet the celebration will include some reference to the newborn baby.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Racks up 56 receiving yards
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Pitts recorded four receptions on five targets for 56 yards in Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Vikings.
Pitts' modest stat line was still good enough for his second-best yardage total of the season, while also marking only the second time he's topped 50 receiving yards for the campaign. His most notable gain came on a 27-yard play early in the fourth quarter on a catch deep down the left sideline. The other potential positive was that this was Taylor Heinicke's first full game, perhaps a sign that improved production could be on the way for Pitts.
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Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Another three-catch performance
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Pitts caught three of five targets for 35 yards during Sunday's 28-23 loss to the Titans.
For a second, Pitts appeared to be turning a corner, totaling 11 receptions (on 17 targets) for 130 yards and a score across Weeks 5 and 6. Since then, he's accumulated just six catches (on 10 targets) for 82 yards. On Sunday, Pitts once again saw fewer offensive snaps (41) than Jonnu Smith (48), and as long as the two are splitting the tight-end workload, it'll be tough for Pitts to be a must-start option in fantasy on a weekly basis.
