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We’re off and running as we talk a look at what specific Atlanta Falcons’ can do for your fantasy football teams in 2021. We’ve already discussed wide receiver Calvin Ridley, quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Mike Davis as they all will likely contribute in a big way for fantasy owners this fall.
Today, we’ll look at the generational prospect who the Falcons selected in the first round of April’s draft, tight end Kyle Pitts. We all know that Pitts brings a rare blend of size and athleticism to a Falcons’ offense that can use his talents with Julio Jones no longer on the team. With Ridley slated to be “the guy” now in Atlanta, it does leave a question of how big of a role Pitts will have in 2021.
Normally, we’d discuss what Pitts might do down the road, considering how often rookies don’t make an immediate impact for their respective teams. But here, as we focus on 2021, there’s really no telling how great Pitts can be.
His current ADP is 76, according to FantasyPros, which I really like for a tight end with such a high ceiling. The tight end position overall is pretty thin when it comes to fantasy football, so taking Pitts as your TE1 isn’t a crazy idea, and he could wind up delivering spectacular value. Combine that with Arthur Smith taking over as head coach, and Pitts could find success early with the Falcons. In 2020, Tennessee Titans’ tight ends accounted for 29.6% of the targets for that team, which the fourth-highest total in the NFL. Although Hayden Hurst is still on the team and should factor into the target share some, I really have high expectations for what Pitts could do in 2021. Ridley (as well as Hurst and Russell Gage) will ensure defenses can’t lock in on him week-in and week-out.
With Jones no longer on the roster, my prediction for how many looks Pitts may get this season is somewhere in the range of 110-120 targets. Of course, this could change quickly once we see how comfortable Ryan is with Pitts, which I would like to think will be very given the talent on hand. The sky’s the limit for Pitts in Atlanta, and that’s worth keeping in mind when it’s time to draft.