Atlanta Falcons impending free-agent tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. seems likely to remain in Atlanta in 2026, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. Kendall believes the franchise tag for Pitts makes the most sense, which would mean Pitts would make a little more than $16.3 million in 2026. Placing the franchise tag on the 25-year-old would give new head coach Kevin Stefanski a year to evaluate Pitts with his own eyes. Pitts teased fantasy managers for years after his 1,000-yard rookie season in 2021, only to fall flat. The former first-rounder finally played up to his abilities in 2025, catching a career-high 88 passes on 118 targets for 928 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 17 games played. He had at least six catches and 57 yards in five of the final six games. Although Atlanta's quarterback situation is up in the air with Michael Penix Jr. (knee) injured, Pitts' fantasy stock as a TE1 is on the rise going into 2026 if he stays with the Falcons.
Feb 10, 2026 1:52 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. arguably had the best season of his career in 2025, recording 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets across 17 games played. The 25-year-old stepped up for Atlanta late in the season when star Falcons wideout Drake London missed time due to a knee injury and established a good rapport with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. However, heading into 2026, Pitts Sr.'s outlook is in flux. Pitts Sr. is set to hit unrestricted free agency, although Atlanta could look to keep him around via the franchise tag or with a new contract. If he remains with the Falcons, Pitts Sr. will have a new coaching staff around him and will no longer be catching passes from Cousins, who is expected to be released at some point this offseason. Pitts Sr. remains a highly talented player, and his 2025 output may be an indication that he's finally starting to put all the pieces together. However, his track record of inconsistency and uncertain future in Atlanta makes it difficult for fantasy managers to value him heading into 2026 and beyond.
Feb 5, 2026 11:51 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New Orleans Saints. He had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity this week. Pitts has frequently appeared on the injury report this year, but he never ended up missing a game. He has officially been active for all 17 games for the third season in a row. Pitts has been playing at an elite level ever since Kirk Cousins took over at quarterback, and it has allowed him to rank as the overall TE2 in full-PPR leagues to this point. He'll look to cap off his strong second half of the season in a competitive game against the Saints on Sunday. As it stands, he ranks as a top-five fantasy tight end.
Jan 4, 2026 11:50 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) carries excellent upside in Week 18 despite facing off with a solid New Orleans Saints defense at home. The fifth-year pro had been on a tear over the last month until his dud last weekend. In the four games prior, Pitts seemed unstoppable, averaging 23.6 PPR fantasy points per game. He was the TE1 across Weeks 13-16, and it wasn't really close. However, the former fourth-overall pick saw his production dip in Week 17 (2/16). While that may be due to a knee injury he picked up earlier in the week at practice, indeed, he doesn't carry the same upside with wide receiver Drake London (knee) back in the fold. If Pitts plays this weekend, fantasy managers will find it difficult to bench him, particularly with teammate Darnell Mooney (knee) also questionable for the contest. Whether Mooney is active or not, the 25-year-old's status should be monitored leading up to kickoff, considering his ranking as RotoBaller's PPR TE5.
Jan 4, 2026 1:30 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) is coming off a disappointing showing against the Rams, and he now carries a questionable designation into Sunday's season finale against the Saints. Pitts has been a limited practice participant all week, which has not been uncommon for him down the stretch, and head coach Raheem Morris is optimistic about his availability for Week 18. The Falcons have been eliminated from playoff contention, but they could indirectly determine the NFC South champion with a win, adding a level of motivation in a week when it can often be difficult to find. Fantasy managers still competing in Week 18 should feel comfortable starting Pitts against a Saints defense that has been middle-of-the-road at defending tight ends.
Jan 2, 2026 2:51 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. broke out over the last two weeks, combining for 18 catches on 21 targets that amounted to 223 yards and four touchdowns. He's now the second-highest scoring tight end in fantasy, and is arguably Kirk Cousins' favorite target since taking over for Michael Penix Jr. (knee). Drake London (knee) returned to action last week, but Pitts recorded more targets, catches, and yards than London as the team's No. 1 receiver played just 69 percent of the offensive snaps. London has been limited in practice all week and is officially questionable for MNF, while Pitts was a limited participant on Friday and Saturday, but carries no injury designation into the Week 17 contest. Assuming Pitts suits up, he'll take a Rams defense that is so-so defending tight ends, but it's also a defense that's yielded the second-most passing yards per game over their last three contests (277.7) and allowed Seattle's TE AJ Barner to catch four passes for 49 yards and a score in Week 16. The 6-foot-6 tight end projects as a high-end TE1 for Monday Night Football, and if London were to end up missing the game, it would be a boon to Pitts' potential target total.
Dec 27, 2025 4:20 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) was added to the injury report after practicing in a limited capacity on Friday. He'll have one opportunity to return to full capacity on Saturday before the Falcons announce Pitts' game status for Week 17. The Falcons play against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night. This timing presents a difficult situation for fantasy managers. On one hand, Pitts has been a top tight end in fantasy football, scoring at least 15 full-PPR fantasy points in each of his last four games. On the other hand, if he is ruled out on Monday night, managers will have very few replacement options. Managers shouldn't panic yet, as Pitts could get back on track and avoid any sort of injury designation on Saturday. However, if he enters the weekend as questionable, managers should consider pivoting to a different tight end or at least adding one who plays on Monday night, like Colby Parkinson or Charlie Woerner. Managers in leagues with the auto-sub option could also consider taking advantage of that feature ahead of the weekend games. Pitts will rank as a mid-to-high TE1 if active.
Dec 26, 2025 7:49 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. continued his recent stretch of success in Sunday's 26-19 win over the Cardinals, hauling in seven of nine targets for 57 yards and a touchdown. It was the fourth straight game with at least eight targets and at least six catches, and the 25-year-old has quickly vaulted himself into the position of second-ranked tight end for fantasy this year after recording four touchdowns in the last two weeks alone (five on the season). The 6-foot-6 pass catcher was able to perform in Week 16 despite the return of Drake London (knee), who played just 69 percent of the team's offensive snaps. Pitts draws a home matchup against the Rams in what is most likely the championship round of the fantasy playoffs for most managers, a defense that is middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, although the Seahawks' AJ Barner just registered a 4-49-1 line in Week 16 against Los Angeles. With a solid role in the Atlanta offense, Pitts will surely be a TE1 in Week 17.
Dec 23, 2025 1:49 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) is coming off the best game of his career, recording 11 receptions for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the team's 29-28 win over Tampa Bay last week, now sitting with 73 catches and 797 yards for the year. The 25-year-old has had a consistent role in the offense for much of the season, but got a boost as the main beneficiary of Drake London's (knee) absence over the last four weeks. Pitts was a limited participant in practice during the week, and although London did not practice on Friday, both players are expected to suit up for Sunday's road matchup against the Cardinals. It will be the first time Pitts, London, and Kirk Cousins will all be on the field together this season, so it will be interesting to see how the targets get divvied up. Still, the 6-foot-6 tight end looks like a top-five option this week against an Arizona defense that has yielded the seventh-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this season, including an 8-76-1 line for the Texans' Dalton Schultz just last week.
Dec 19, 2025 10:27 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) was added to the injury report after practicing in a limited capacity on Thursday. The "limited" tag could mean that Pitts simply took some reps off Thursday, or it could mean that he injured himself midway through and didn't return. Without any sort of official clarification from the team, managers will likely have to wait for the Falcons' injury report on Friday before getting any updates on his status. Atlanta will include injury designations on Friday's report, offering some more clarity on whether Pitts will be able to play in Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Arizona Cardinals. He's arguably the hottest player in fantasy football right now, coming off a career-best outing in which he caught 11 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Pitts is a strong mid-range TE1 option for this weekend, and he could jump to the high-end TE1 tier if Drake London (knee) is ruled out and he operates as Kirk Cousins' top target. Of course, Pitts now has his own injury to deal with, so managers should stay tuned for updates as kickoff gets closer.
Dec 18, 2025 8:15 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. had a historic day in the Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, setting career highs in targets (12), catches (11), yards (166), and touchdowns (three). His 45.6 PPR points were the most by a tight end this century, narrowly edging out Shannon Sharpe's 45.4-point performance in Week 7 of the 2002 season. The No. 4 overall pick back in 2021 is taking full advantage of the boost in targets with receiver Drake London (knee) out of the lineup and is showing why he was the highest-drafted tight end ever with a game for the ages. With London practicing on Wednesday and trending positively to play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Pitts likely won't have this kind of nuclear performance again. However, the 25-year-old looked dominant against the Bucs and still profiles as a top-three tight end for the second round of the fantasy playoffs.
Dec 18, 2025 1:10 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. would likely be one of the best free-agent options at his position this offseason if he were to reach the open market. The organization might not let that happen, though, and could use the franchise tag on him. Pitts opened everyone's eyes to how great he can be during Thursday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hauling in 11 of his 12 targets for 166 yards while scoring three touchdowns in a comeback victory. The 25-year-old has been underwhelming during his career in Atlanta, but has shown flashes of greatness. There is enough upside that multiple organizations would likely be willing to gamble on Pitts if he were to become a free agent. The Falcons might attempt to delay that with the franchise tag, but we'll see what direction they decide to go in this offseason.
Dec 12, 2025 9:34 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. caught 11 of his 12 targets for 166 yards and three touchdowns during Thursday's Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pitts turned in the best game of his career, showing flashes of why the Falcons made him the No. 4 pick back in 2021. The 25-year-old had just one touchdown this season prior to Thursday, and he hadn't exceeded more than 90 yards in a game yet. He shattered both of those marks in the win, and he also registered the first double-digit catch total of his career. While Pitts probably won't replicate this breakout game every week, it's encouraging to see that he's capable of producing such a superstar-caliber performance. He firmly ranks in the mid-to-high TE1 tier ahead of Week 16 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Dec 11, 2025 11:54 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee), who was listed as questionable, is officially active for the Thursday night divisional game versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Tori McElhaney of AtlantaFalcons.com. Pitts was expected to play all along in this one, but it's now official. The 25-year-old will have more upside for fantasy managers for at least another week, too, with receiver Drake London (knee) set to miss a fourth straight game. In the last two weeks with London sidelined with a PCL sprain in his knee, Pitts has drawn 18 targets, catching 13 of them for 172 yards. He has only one touchdown on the year, which came way back on Sept. 28, but Pitts should be one of quarterback Kirk Cousins' top targets against a Tampa defense that has allowed the 12th-most half-PPR points to TEs in the last five weeks.
Dec 11, 2025 7:25 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) has had two of his best games of the season in the last two weeks with wide receiver Drake London (knee) sidelined, catching 13 of his 18 targets for 172 yards while playing over 90% of the offensive snaps. Pitts is considered questionable to play on Thursday night versus the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he's expected to suit up. Meanwhile, London will be missing a fourth straight game. Pitts has only found the end zone one time in 2025 (back in Week 4), but he should be more involved once again on Thursday night if he's active in the first week of the fantasy playoffs in most leagues. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has used Pitts as a safety blanket of sorts with London out of the picture since spraining his PCL in Week 11. Fantasy managers should consider the former fourth overall pick to be a midrange TE1 for at least one more week.
Dec 11, 2025 12:38 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) tied a season-high on Sunday with 10 targets and eclipsed his season-high yardage total -- which was set in Week 13 -- with 90 yards receiving on six catches. He did not find the end zone, as he's still sitting with just one touchdown on the season, but the 25-year-old has been plenty useful on volume alone, especially in PPR leagues. With Drake London (knee) missing the last three games (and also Week 8), the 6-foot-6 tight end has become Kirk Cousins' favorite pass-catcher, averaging eight targets, six receptions, and 64 yards receiving per contest in the four games with Cousins under center this season. Pitts popped up on the injury report earlier in the week with a knee injury and was a limited participant up to and including Wednesday's practice, resulting in a questionable designation for Thursday's matchup on the road against the Buccaneers. London, however, has been ruled out for TNF, so Pitts could be in line to maintain his temporary status as the team's No. 1 receiver again in Week 15 so long as he's active. Tampa Bay is middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, but the fifth-year pro shapes up as a mid-range TE1 for Thursday, so fantasy managers will want to double-check his status before kickoff.
Dec 10, 2025 2:21 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. has impressed second-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who on Tuesday told the media that his 25-year-old pass catcher has made huge strides since last season. Pitts has been the TE12 in Half-PPR formats, and his 631 receiving yards through 13 games have already surpassed what he was able to do in a full 17-game slate in 2024. Unfortunately, the endzone has still eluded him, as his Week 4 touchdown against the Commanders still stands as his lone score on the year. Heading into the fantasy playoffs, Pitts provides a reliable floor, having now hit at least six receptions and 80 yards in back-to-back games. He is RotoBaller's TE4 in a Week 15 road matchup against the Buccaneers.
Dec 9, 2025 2:31 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) is on the team's Week 15 injury report and was listed as limited for Monday's estimated practice, according to Tori McElhaney of AtlantaFalcons.com. Pitts looked fine in the team's Week 14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, catching six of his 10 targets for a season-high 90 yards while playing 92% of the offensive snaps. The Falcons are likely just giving the 25-year-old a little rest going into Thursday's divisional clash against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pitts' 10 targets on Sunday matched a season high, and he's had 13 catches on 18 targets for 172 yards the last two weeks with top wideout Drake London (knee) sidelined with a PCL sprain. If London misses a third straight game this week, Pitts will once again have more upside as a TE1 for fantasy managers. In the Week 1 loss to Tampa, Pitts had seven catches on eight targets for 59 yards.
Dec 8, 2025 6:08 PM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. recorded his largest yardage total of the season in last week's 27-24 loss to the Jets, hauling in seven of his eight targets for 82 yards. With top receiver Drake London (knee) missing the last couple of games and also Week 8, the 6-foot-6 tight end has been Kirk Cousins' favorite target, looking his way a total of 22 times in those three contests. With London ruled out for Week 14 as well, the 25-year-old could again be the team's top receiving weapon, especially against the Seahawks, a defense that has been generally good against the pass, but that has given up the fourth-most PPR fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. The drawback here is that Pitts has one touchdown all season and has failed to garner a red zone target in four consecutive weeks now. Be that as it may, the former first-round draft pick still projects as a mid-range TE1 based on volume alone in this favorable matchup at home.
Dec 6, 2025 11:59 AM EST
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. had a fantastic Week 13 with 82 receiving yards on eight targets, and is looking to continue that production in Week 14 against the Seattle Seahawks, who have been vulnerable to the tight end position, allowing the fifth most fantasy points to tight ends. What's most encouraging for Pitts is that his targets went up in Week 13 to eight, compared to the last three games, where he only saw a combined 13 targets. With Kirk Cousins now under center for the second straight week in Week 13 and more acclimated to the offense, the rapport between Pitts and Cousins showed in Week 13. The last time Cousins played two games in a row was in 2024, before Michael Penix Jr. took over as the team's QB1 in Week 16 of that season. Based on the trend and matchup, Pitts' stock is on the rise heading into the final weeks of the fantasy football season. Rotoballer ranks him as the TE7 for Week 14.
Dec 5, 2025 10:09 AM EST