Will TE Kyle Pitts Lead Falcons in Targets?
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts spent his rookie campaign as the second-youngest player in the NFL, playing four games prior to turning 21. He entered the season being unable to legally drink and ended it as Atlanta's leader in targets (110), receptions (68) and yards (1,026).
With a year under his belt, Pitts will look to improve upon those numbers, despite the Falcons adding more talent around him at the receiver position in the form of rookie first-rounder Drake London trade acquisition Bryan Edwards.
After star receiver Calvin Ridley stepped away from football in the middle of the season, Pitts became Atlanta's top target without much competition from the rest of the room. Though it's anticipated that he'll have to share more of the load, Pitts still has a "legit" chance to lead the Falcons in targets, according to Pro Football Focus.
Pitts led the Falcons in targets in 2021 (110) and only has rookie WR Drake London as real competition ahead of 2022. In reality, Pitts is a wide receiver who we call a tight end: 80% of his routes came from the slot or out wide as a rookie. Regardless of position, Pitts showed off an impressive blend of contested-catch goodness and YAC ability on his way to posting the sixth-highest mark in yards per route run (2.13) among any rookie pass-catcher of the past five years (min. 50 targets). - PFF's Ian Hartitz
The one glaring hole in Pitts' otherwise outstanding rookie season is the lack of touchdowns, posting a mere one score. Now with the benefit of receiving a full offseason without draft training, the 21-year-old is optimistic he can improve in the redzone this season but believes his production in that area is out of his control.
"I believe God and coach (Arthur) Smith control that," Pitts said when asked about a jump in touchdown numbers. "Whatever play that's called, I go out there and try to win my matchup."
Pitts came into the NFL with the expectation of being a true threat in the redzone, posting 18 touchdowns across three years at the University of Florida, including 12 in eight games during his final season.
For fantasy owners, Pitts being poised to lead the Falcons in targets is an unsurprising but nevertheless positive development. As long as the touchdown numbers jump, he should more than meet expectations.
As the Falcons offense looks to improve upon a 2021 season that saw themselves rank 29th in yards and 26th in points, Pitts will play an integral role in creating big plays not only for himself, but for London, Edwards and the rest of the group around him.
With an improved supporting cast and steady flow of targets on the way, Pitts is set up nicely to have an outstanding sophomore campaign, starting with training camp on July 29.
