Kyle Pitts

[HMFFL]

Possibly torn MCL so Pitts is getting a second opinion.

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[HMFFL]

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said Kyle Pitts (knee) is out for the season. 

Pitts had surgery on his injured knee last week and won't play again in 2022, per Smith, who said the injury doesn't concern the team long term. Pitts' 2022 campaign was among the most disappointing in recent fantasy football history, through no fault of his own. All of Pitts' underlying metrics say he is an elite pass catcher who will, one day, be an NFL superstar. Pitts was seventh in yards per route run among tight ends; first in tight end air yards; first in average depth of target among tight ends; and first in targets per route run. The relentlessly run-heavy nature of the Atlanta offense made it impossible for Pitts (or Drake London) to post consistent fantasy numbers thanks to a lack of weekly pass routes and target volume. Pitts, 22, should be among the first few tight ends off the fantasy draft board in 2023. 

SOURCE: Mike Rothstein on Twitter

Nov 30, 2022, 11:39 AM ET



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[Jamaaliver]

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[HMFFL]

Teams are calking about him but I expect us to keep him.

I'm assuming teams are trying to buy low since he's injured.

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Not looking great...

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[Jamaaliver]

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[atlantabbq99]

I think this is a career ender. Pitts is just not made to be in the NFL. He just doesn't have a body tough enough to be an NFL player. If he does come back, he should move to WR full time because he just can't handle the trenches.

[Jamaaliver]

It ain't looking good. He clearly needs a change of scenery at this point.

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[Jamaaliver]

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One of the worst things to happen to Pitts was his 1,026-yard rookie season for the Atlanta Falcons. It was a fantastic performance, but it also set expectations that have become daunting weights that rest on the player’s shoulders.

According to PFF snap count data, Kyle Pitts has been used inline at a 57.5% rate, which is on pace to be the highest rate in his career by nearly 20%. That is a massive role change and usage rate delta, but it aligns with what we should expect from a McVay pupil like OC Zac Robinson.

Week 1 is the only time Pitts had more than 11 snaps in the slot, with 24. Pitts is no longer an F-tight end; he’s a Y.

...he is still adjusting to this new role, which is challenging and different from the one he was drafted for. Like I said earlier, 2021 has almost become a curse. Pitts saw an unreal usage rate and was featured as the team’s true number-one option. Since then, Pitts dealt with a nagging knee injury, and the team added multiple pieces that would also demand the football. Those pieces (Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Darnell Mooney) take priority over the tight end in Atlanta’s new offense.

With all that being said, many current complaints have nothing to do with the X’s and O’s and are more focused on effort and ability. I won’t make excuses; some plays show a lack of effort, but the amount of those perceived to exist have become inflated.

[Jamaaliver]

These quick slants and other short concepts that require him to stop and start more don’t fit his game. Pitts wants to get vertical and work up the field, which allows him to build up his speed, and that’s when he’s at his best. We saw it in Kansas City on his 50-yard reception and in the endzone when he cleanly beat his man on a play that should’ve been a touchdown or pass interference at worst. And yes, Pitts still has enough speed to get vertical regardless of whatever GPS-based separation data says.

Pitts is still getting open with speed.

The Falcoholic

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[Jamaaliver]

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Pitts caught 68 passes for 1,026 yards in 17 games as a rookie, becoming only the second rookie tight end in league history to top 1,000 yards. It’s worth remembering that as a starting point for the conversation.

Matt Ryan was the quarterback then. The Falcons traded Ryan the following offseason, and whether there’s a direct correlation or not, Pitts has never been the same.

The Athletic

[HMFFL]

Kyle Pitts needs targets and I expect Cousins to change things.

Our coaching staff's have only used Pitts for blocking and not the weapon he is. He's been a non factor since his rookie season.

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[graymule]

As our new QB becomes more "at home" with the Falcons, expect Pitts to be a big part of most games.

[atlantabbq99]

Pitts and London are the two worst red zone receivers in the NFL. Both of them have to go or cut. Neither of them deserve a 2nd contract.

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

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