With question marks like DAndre Swift and Kyle Pitts, this could be a difficult starting lineup to work with. Delanie Walker thrived with Mariota in Tennessee. As well as two 1s next year (likely 2 mid firsts) . His incredible wingspan, overall athleticism, and unprecedented versatility make it almost an insult to call him a tight end. 79 overall, Quentin Johnston: Rookie scouting profile. When healthy, Kittle and Waller were top-three in targets per game over the course of those three years. Despite coming into the league at the age of 20, he did not disappoint. And if you have him, the only move is to plan on starting Kyle Pitts. Fantasy Football: The Miami Dolphins traded back up to No. It caps his upside as the potential TE1 in fantasy, which brings us to. tweet. We all know that the path for Pitts played out perfectly in his favor, but his body development was still in the works during his true freshman season. 10 team ppr superflex. But they will be the most difficult to predict. Injury History. The 2021 #4 overall pick finished with 110 targets, 68 receptions, and 1,026 yards. I doubt it. I referenced this play above (1:23) as allowing the pass into his body. Pitts suffered a nose in the win over Georgia. Pitts utilizes a skinny post while tossing the mismatched CB aside. 2.6k shares. The Atlanta Falcons will receive a visit from one of the 2023 NFL Draft's top tight ends in Iowa's Sam LaPorta. What factors could help us in predicting these rare occurrences? Some of you reading this may not have even been born the last time a rookie tight end scored more fantasy points. There are so many great players available at that point in a draft. Green and Allen Robinson seemingly hit a wall. pin. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Jumping ahead to 1:50 facing a talented Texas A&M defense, we see safety Leon ONeal Jr. in man on Pitts. He'll get swiped by Round 4 in dynasty/keeper start-ups, and is a consensus top-five overall choice in rookie-only drafts. By James Bassil March 2, 2023 6:00 am. He scored the most fantasy points by any rookie tight end since 1989. Kyle Ringstad provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters. Kyle Pitts (ATL) Pitts had a solid rookie season. Pitts has done his best to change that. Rookie tight ends typically dont make much of a fantasy impact. Free shipping for many products! 79 overall. A grand total of two qualified tight ends have scored an average of 20 or more FPG (PPR scoring) in a single season over the last 20 years. Kyle Pitts's fantasy value is measured by the players he could be traded for. 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. Hes pushing his routes further downfield, treating SEC defenders like those he faced at Archbishop Wood during his senior season. Before we dig in, keep in mind that he does not have the benefit of facing vanilla competition. He's probably past the point you'll get much more than a mid-2023 1st for him, and that's simply not worth sacrificing your window for. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. You don't draft a tight end fourth overall if you don't think he'll be a star. I even know of people who do this for a living who said they would not be going back for more in year two. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry as a rookie and the Bills have already talked about increasing his role from 2022. Minter or Kyle Bradish. We want to see him collecting these with his hands, but sometimes that option can be eliminated by the coverage defender. So how did Pitts live up to the hype if some people think he didnt? Pitts is going universally as the third tight end off the board. He will turn 30 years old during the 2023 season. That value is fine for a tight end of his stature, though dont reach on Kittle due to his injury history. 1 red-zone option, especially since we know new Falcons head coach and playcaller Arthur Smith loves to utilize tight ends.. As for Kittle and Waller, theyve each finished as top-three tight ends twice in the last three seasons. Speed. 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. Not all speed is equal. 1, just about how aggressive people should be in going after him. Kyle Yates breaks down 18 rounds of a 1QB Dynasty Startup Mock Draft before 2023 NFL Free Agency. If that proves to be the case, itll be due to defenses -- equipped with excellent coverage LBs -- scheming specifically to slow him down. For example, there is a perception by some that, Pitts was one of just three players to see 100 or more targets and catch one touchdown or less the others were, Pitts was not just good when compared to rookie tight ends. He did so for his three full seasons with Mariota, finishing as high as third at the position. Our goal is to put out the highest-quality content and tools. Sportsline's Jacob Gibbs dove a bit deeper into Pitts' 2021 outlook and also his Dynasty forecast -- you'll find that here. Weight-adjusted speed is the ultimate key. Is it worth packaging some of this to move up to 1 for Bijon or just hold my water and get 5 quality players . Now with a year under his belt, there is plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Pitts., After what Pitts did as a rookie, there should be plenty of optimism about what he could do as a sophomore in the NFL. As for tight end, I'm buying several of the second-year tight ends, but especially Greg Dulcich, Trey McBride, and Cade Otton. Waller has to compete with Davante Adams for that honor. Pitts destroys the mismatched 5-foot-11, 181-pound Bryce Thompsons jam attempt in man coverage. But he could be a monster rushing punts in the NFL with his long arms and edge-bending ability around blocks. We simply cannot expect first-round TEs to be handed featured targets based on draft capital alone. How can that be explained? 32 overall6/9 Superflex mock: Round 7, No. In fact, Pitts arguably has more competition for work this season than he did last season. You can see the Will (weakside) LB attempting to maintain inside leverage on Pitts to protect the middle of the field. 7.11 - Zach Evans (RB - 2023 Rookie) 7.12 - Mike Williams (WR - Los Angeles Chargers) Draft Pick Analysis: The balance of a Dynasty startup draft is knowing when to prioritize youth versus capitalizing on value for veterans. Unknown. Since he collected every single catchable target during his junior season, I really dont think we can consider that as a flaw, moving forward. Cook was a Round 1 rookie pick you may be able to acquire for an early second-round rookie pick right now. Single But Pitts had his sights set on playing for the Florida Gators. Devlin fell in love with Pitts ability, so much so that he played him on both sides of the ball. He has an elite wide receiver duo in Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. but you'll have to sign up in order to access our other articles and content! 6-foot-2, 220-pound safety Jay Stanley is embarrassed by Pitts physicality at 0:28 on the back shoulder go. Even after former HC Jim McElwain was dismissed in 2015, Pitts remained loyal. At that cost, he would have to deliver WR2 numbers to meet value. I have picks 2, 4, 6, 10 and 12 in the rookie draft. 57 overall8/3 non-PPR mock: Round 6, No. Pitts path to college was much of the same. The guy above that question is in a Superflex league. 59 overall, 7/20 half-PPR mock: Round 5, No. Specifically, with Arthur Smith, who was the OC in Tennessee and now the head coach in Atlanta, it was 23 percent. One of the most significant factors fueling top TE results is not from a bloated AY/T average, it can be attributed to featured involvement within the offense. Pitts will be asked to play these inline snaps in the NFL. I got the 1st overall pick The 9th pick in the 2nd round Michael Gallup Gave Lamb24 1st pic.twitter.com/qqbnabae5u. Four weeks into his first season as a starter, the nation has now been indoctrinated on Pitts arrival. However, prior to film study, I was utterly convinced no one would challenge Chase for my rankings. If you're one of these managers that's about to head into a Dynasty startup draft this offseason, don't fret! Also notable was how comforting the Travis Kelce pick turned Thats a ton of production on routes with mostly shorter stems. It's not easy to do a draft that's often 20+ rounds and to navigate the draft board to find the best value selections throughout. if you can't make your team immediately better by trading him, then I'd bet on the talent winning over and hold him as possibly the best flex in the league. Injury History. 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. The 18.4 FPG entered by Darren Waller this season ranks as the fifth-best mark over those same 20 years. 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. The hype train regarding Kyle Pitts fantasy football outlook began to gain momentum after the Atlanta Falcons drafted him with the No. Pitts target competition is rookie Drake London, Bryan Edwards, Auden Tate, Damiere Byrd, and running back Cordarrelle Patterson. Weve yet to see a single defense figure out the proper way to defend the mismatch waiting to happen. Barring a change in personnel, teams typically dont stray too far from their pass attempts from the previous season. You can see just how much trouble ONeal has with that speed out of the break. The biggest takeaways from his sophomore footage are that hes grown into his frame without losing anything in speed. The most notable difference is the growth within his frame. His combination of size and speed makes him a dangerous player on offense, but the price tag that comes with makes him a high-risk player in fantasy football leagues. If Pitts remains healthy, the only factor I can envision limiting his rookie upside is landing with a team that refuses to leave him on the field full-time, while his run blocking develops. He's also a player with a questionable role and spotty injury history. The very next season, he was an All SEC First-Team selection by the Associated Press. I know Kyle Pitts was frustrating last year, but he ended up getting hurt. But if you did want to sell, I would be looking for a veteran that helped me win right now. Fantasy Football Mock Draft 1.0 Fantasy Football. People talk about the running back dead zone, but there's nothing quite as vast on a per-player basis as the tight end dead zone. The Atlanta Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts at the #4 spot in the 2021 NFL Draft. These gaps in zone coverage will show up on every play, but recognition can be tricky. To start, Pitts is probably the most talented TE prospect to ever come into the NFL. pic.twitter.com/E80uVePnwK, Be honest should I have done this trade? 59 overall, 7/7 Superflex mock: Round 6, No. Sans Superflex formats, as sold as I have been with Najee Harris at No. The Atlanta Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts with the 4th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, making Pitts the highest-drafted tight end ever. (2) Ability to excel from a detached alignment? This site is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with these schools or teams. With the uncertainty surrounding Swift and his actual role in Detroit is it worth selling him for a mixture of picks and WR depth? The Kyle Pitts hype train has yet to stop growing after the Atlanta Falcons selected him at No. On the surface, swapping Gage with London may not seem like itll have huge ramifications for Pitts fantasy value and it wont. He is a legitimate wide receiver in a tight ends body. send. With a dedicated focus on studying game film and a faithful commitment to metrics & analytics, Hubers specialties include DFS (college and NFL), Devy & Dynasty formats, and second-to-none fantasy analysis of high school prospects. If you'd going to accept a package then shoot for TE1 Mark Andrews and something else. share. Kelce and Andrews are rightfully in a class of their own; theyre proven top scorers at the position. After his rookie year, it looked like he would be a star. Share. Draft Pick Analysis: Running back was a priority with the first two selections, but it was put on the back burner for the next several rounds. The speed from this kid is remarkable. Don't have an account? Delpits best efforts to be physical with Pitts entirely justifies the return shove. There aren't many questions at all about who should go No. However, adding him as a WR3 - as I did here - is an excellent way to balance your roster. The added benefit to select him as the WR1 for my Dynasty roster is that the Jets are in line to get a massive quarterback upgrade this offseason. 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 also completely agree with his Archbishop Wood coaches concerning his talent at DE. In the vast majority of cases, we simply waste our time researching TE prospects since they so rarely offer results worthy of the time invested. As I said, though, the dip in Pitts upside comes from the Falcons offense without quarterback Matt Ryan. Were the Falcons to select Florida tight end Kyle Pitts with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, as I had them doing in my most recent mock, it would make Pitts the highest-picked college tight end in the history of professional football.The Rams took LSUs Billy Cannon with the first overall pick in the 1960 draft, Cannon chose to play with Kyle Pitts could be the top tight end to draft in fantasy football. Just as weve already seen numerous times before, these 40-50 pound mismatches do not end well. Howard, Evan Engram, David Njoku, Eric Ebron, and Tyler Eifert are al thel TEs selected in the first round. Two years later, he garnered the Mackey Award, a unanimous First-Team All American selection, finished in the top-10 in the Heisman voting, was a semifinalist for the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards, and became the only TE in history to be a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award. Kyle Pitts TE | Florida Gators | 6-5 | 239 lbs. WebPitts was a major fantasy disappointment in 2022, posting a 28-356-2 line across 10 games. Check out the play at 0:33. Pitts suffered a nose in the win over Georgia. Waller ran 50% of his routes this season from a detached alignment. Waller averaged 7.2 FPG, or 39%, in those situations. At 1:11, Tennessee is masking Cover 6 as Cover 3, a mistake against Pitts he takes full advantage with excellent recognition from Kyle Trask. While the Falcons let Russell Gage walk, they also drafted Drake London with the eighth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. For example, Pitts has a late third-round value in 12-team PPR leagues, but if only one tight end is off the board then, you can afford to wait on Pitts. The Atlanta Falcons made history Thursday night, selecting Florida tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. Kyle Pitts is a 2022 fantasy football draft sleeper at tight end and an ADP draft value. Fantasy Value. Thats as dominant as dominant gets and its the way Pitts did it that really grabbed scouts attention. He was being drafted as a top-five tight end off the board and some even pulled him up to the top three. Or should I take another back at 3, 12 Team, 1QB, .5 PPR - Finished 2nd in 2022What sort of packages would you be willing to give in picks to move up to 1.1? So what the heck does that mean for Pitts? Sam Howell is in a very interesting situation. Doing so made him the highest-drafted tight end (TE) in the history of the league. Waller and Engram may seem like close fits, but they simply fall short of the unified skillset from Pitts. At this time last year, Pitts wasn't getting out of the top-15 picks in Dynasty Startups, which makes the fact that he was still on the board here astonishing. 4 during Pitts senior season - under the direction of HC Steve Devlin. Draft Pick Analysis: Wilson showcased his ridiculous talent all last season, despite woeful quarterback play for the majority of the year. Kelce ran 245-of-606 (40%) routes out wide this season. However, I do not feel he will need as much time for his route running, receiving production to translate. Judging from what Ive seen on tape, Pitts is entirely without a ceiling. While it will also read as obvious, it is still of monumental importance when evaluating TE prospects. "Matthew Berry, ESPN. The Crimson Tide were fortunate to have escaped that game with the victory. Pitts suffered a left foot injury during the game against Texas A&M. 6 to draft Florida tight end Kyle Pitts Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts (84) during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. 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. Pitts was the first rookie tight end to finish a season with 60-plus catches and over 1,000 receiving yards. I would rather give up 1.04 and 1.06 and a second. Helps Nets To Big Comeback Victory With 38 Points, Scores Career-High 41 Points Against Portland, Keeps Point Streak Going With Two Assists, Jessie Bates III Not Expected Back In Cincinnati, No Movement On Leighton Vander Esch Talks, Browns Could Restructure Deshaun Watson's Contract, Cowboys Plan To Use Franchise Tag On Tony Pollard, Giants, Daniel Jones Making Progress In Talks, Jets Could Take A Quarterback In The Draft, Raiders Plan To Use Franchise Tag On Josh Jacobs, Yandy Diaz Likely Sidelined Into Next Week, Leads Seattle To Victory With Three Points, Continues To Chase Elusive Florida Victory, Matthew Fitzpatrick Looking To Get His Season Rolling At Bay Hill, With The Opportunity Of A Lifetime At UFC 285, Looking For Third Straight Victory At UFC 285, With Big Opportunity To Derail Hype Train, Tyrell Hatton Generates Buzz At Arnold Palmer, Tom Kim Trying To Improve Putting At Bay Hill, Set To Make Arnold Palmer Invitational Debut, Helps Trackhouse Finish Strong At Auto Club, Finishes 33rd In Second Race With Stewart-Haas, Finishes Third After Leading The Most Laps, Snaps Losing Streak With Main-Card Decision Win, Continues To Shine With First-Round Submission, We Are Your Secret Weapon|Copyright 2011 - 2023|Win Big with RotoBaller, - Import Your Leagues With Team Sync, Use The Live Draft Sync Assistant -. We hope you're enjoying this old content for FREE. 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. Would you just stay put and take Gibbs and best WR at 1.2+1.3 assuming 1.2 would be in the deal?Bench is full of guys to cut except Dak, Dulcich and Kmet. Youll need to watch individual game footage, but Pitts run blocking technique has also greatly improved over the liability from his sophomore season. By James Bassil March 2, 2023 6:00 am. I just don't really like the idea of trading him for a package. And to be honest, I have those same questions in a couple of my own leagues. Kyle Pitts start or sit: Week 11 fantasy football advice We break down the fantasy football outlook of Kyle Pitts ahead of the Falcons Week 11 matchup against the Bears. Using an out-and-up route, Pitts gives an ever-so-slight shove on Delpit to create space for the big play. Kyle Pitts was drafted #4 overall in the 2021 draft and for good reason. Some want to paint the narrative Pitts The offensive line took a step backward, the quarterbacks couldn't complete a pass, and Taylor was dealing with a nagging injury for most of the season. What to do with Kyle Pitts? I will make no effort in likening Pitts to another player. Below, we'll break down Pitts' outlook, changes in his ADP, where he's going in mock drafts, training camp/preseason updates and more. Evidence of production from a detached alignment. Josh Palmer is my favorite sleeper/breakout at wide receiver. Still, Kyle Pitts was supposed to be THE guy. 54 overall8/6 PPR Superflex mock: Round 5, No. WebWho to draft? (Seider is now the running backs coach and one of the top recruiters at Penn State.). 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. Once Mariota arrived in 2015, Walker elevated to a top-5 tight end. How Pitts compares to other top tight ends, How Pitts Compares to Other Top Tight Ends, Jessie Bates IIIs 3 Best Fits In Free Agency, Tradeable picks in the Mock Draft Machine. 61 overall, 7/28 full-point PPR mock: Round 5, No. *All ADP data is courtesy of FantasyFootballCalculator.comand for half-point PPR scoring. First, you can see Robinson's value according to me in a one-quarterback league right here. If Pitts lands with a top-five QB, he could break rookie TE records. Pitts target competition is rookie. I have Jonathon Taylor, Kenneth Walker and Deandre Swift as my main RBs. Luckily, Kyle Pitts is no ordinary tight end. This time of year, however, it's a pretty good bet there will be questions about rookies. While a lot of Dynasty trade questions are as clear as the one above, D'Andre Swift is not. Kyle Pitts 2023 Fantasy Outlook. While Robinson is younger, I actually believe Lamb should be a productive player for longer, and I definitely expect him to be more impactful in 2023. Cordarrelle Patterson should also retain his running back/wide receiver hybrid role, since Atlanta didnt make any other major investments in those positions. The stuff he did in the Alabama game cannot be described with words. 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. (5) Featured role in passing game plan? 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. Watching that game in real time failed to leave the same impression I came away with on second viewing. 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. 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. He also led the position with 45 targets while lined out wide, only two others (Mike Gesicki and Travis Kelce) had more than 22. If sell, what would you sell him for? 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. By slim21 Nov 20, 2022, 3:00am PST Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images The Atlanta Falcons will host the Chicago Bears in Week 11 of the NFL season. We offer recommendations from 35+ fantasy baseball experts! Many of his catches during his junior season are on crossers over the middle. Along with being the highest-drafted tight end ever, he may be the most hyped tight end prospect ever, and with that comes some lofty expectations for his rookie season. That information tells us that the pair benefited when the offense employed increased spacing. Tight End History. Dodgers The Early Favorites For Shohei Ohtani? Recent history has been mixed with receivers this age. The fact that he doesnt snag this with his hands can be considered preference. The pair also finished first and second in air yards/game (93.0 for Kelce, 76.3 for Waller). 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. Should Pitts test out the way I think he will at his Pro Day, he could end up being selected at No. Pitts accumulated an average stat line of 2.8 receptions for 35.6 yards and .2 touchdowns per game last season. The one aspect that might give him the most trouble is facing the better zone coverages. Free shipping for many products! Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community! 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. Pitts sustained a hamstring injury during Week 17's loss at Buffalo. Before we dig into the story on Kyle Pitts, lets touch on the difference-making potential in fantasy What he did not live up to was the lofty expectations placed on Pitts by fantasy players. Without question. While Pitts situation in Atlanta didnt get better, his situation among the top fantasy tight ends didnt get worse. There is enough talent around Pitts that should help take some defensive coverage away from him, but not enough to funnel volume away. Unfortunately, his 2022 season was a nightmare for fantasy players. He is a player with elite talent and youth on his side. There is a bit of an unknown with Ridder, but you do always hear that a strong tight end provides a nice safety blanket for a QB. Pitts is a much better option than the next tier of tight ends, which features Dalton Schultz, Dallas Goedert and T.J. Hockenson. Burks as the WR1 for your Dynasty roster is a risky strategy going into the next season. I would be more interested in trying to turn Swift and something into a top-10 wide receiver. Well, Atlanta went from a big-armed pocket passer to a dual-threat passer. Truly scary. And if anything, I may be lower than the consensus that seems to be he's already RB1 overall. Still, Kyle Pitts was supposed to be THE guy. NFL offenses will continue to evolve, forcing us to follow suit with our evaluation process. This game against LSU stands as Pitts first career 100-yard performance. Unfortunately, his 2022 season was a nightmare for fantasy players. pic.twitter.com/kdtiUp7SQk. 8/18 half-PPR 12-team: Round 5, No. But I don't believe James Cook is getting enough love. 2.6k shares. Fun trivia: Pitts was told at his first high school, Abington, that he did not possess the coordination to play the TE position. But Pitts was determined to make his way on offense, specifically at TE. NFL TEs averaged well over half of all routes run from that Kelce quartet, nearly the identical number on Wallers most common routes. 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 This is an extremely revealing data point. 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.