Coach Arthur Smith ruled Pitts (knee) out for the season Wednesday, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Analysis: Smith said Pitts' right knee surgery to repair MCL damage is "nothing that concerns us going into 2023." The 2021 fourth overall pick suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain Week 11 versus the Bears, ending his sophomore season with 28 catches for 356 and two scores on 59 targets, through 10 games. After Pitts posted an outstanding 68-1026-1 receiving line as a rookie, his diminished production in Atlanta's run-heavy offense with Marcus Mariota under center was disappointing to say the least, especially for fantasy purposes. Next season, Pitts' fantasy outlook will heavily depend upon the state of the Falcons' passing offense. In the meantime, Parker Hesse and MyCole Pruitt will hold down the fort at tight end.
Nov 30, 2022 8:52 AM EST
Pitts announced Wednesday via his personal Instagram account that he underwent surgery to repair a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee.
Analysis: While Atlanta hasn't officially announced a recovery timeline for Pitts or revealed whether he'll be able to return this season, the second-year tight end will be sidelined through at least Week 16 after being placed on injured reserve Nov. 21. While Pitts was sidelined in the Falcons' Week 12 loss to the Commanders, Parker Hesse led the Atlanta tight-end group with 33 snaps (60 percent), but it was MyCole Pruitt (two catches for nine yards and a touchdown) who was the more productive fantasy option despite playing three fewer snaps.
Nov 30, 2022 6:46 AM EST
Coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that Pitts (knee) will require surgery to address his injury, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Smith said that a recovery timetable for Pitts, who was placed on IR on Monday, will not be known until after his procedure has completed. The Falcons reportedly fear that the 2021 first-round pick is dealing with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee, though official clarification on the nature of Pitts' injury is still to come. Pitts will need to miss a minimum of four games due to his placement on IR, but pending an update from Atlanta after his procedure, it remains to be seen whether the tight end will return this season.
Nov 23, 2022 8:51 AM EST
Pitts likely has a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Analysis: Pitts picked up the injury during this past Sunday's win against the Bears. Considering the Falcons placed him on IR one day later, a Grade 2 diagnosis makes sense because it's accompanied by a 2-to-4-week recovery timeline. Pitts will miss at least the next four games as a result of that transaction, and the potential for surgery could extend his recovery further. While the second-year pro is sidelined, Parker Hesse, MyCole Pruitt, Anthony Firkser and Feleipe Franks (calf) are the candidates to fill in for Pitts at tight end.
Nov 22, 2022 2:18 PM EST
Atlanta placed Pitts (knee) on injured reserve Monday.
Analysis: Pitts suffered an MCL tear in his right knee during Sunday's win over the Bears and will be sidelined for at least the next four games, though it's possible the tight end remains out for the remainder of the campaign. There hasn't been a decision on whether or not he'll undergo surgery, but Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports that a procedure is "likely." While Pitts may have been disappointing in fantasy due to a high ADP, coach Arthur Smith has been pleased with Pitts' overall progression this season. "People just look at the stats, but his impact on winning has been enormous for us," Smith said. In Pitts' absence, Parker Hesse, MyCole Pruitt, Anthony Firkser and Feleipe Franks (calf) are candidates for increased snaps at tight end, but the likes of Drake London, Olamide Zaccheaus and KhaDarel Hodge will also have to help mitigate the loss of Atlanta's third leading receiver.
Nov 21, 2022 1:28 PM EST
Pitts (knee) is feared to have suffered an MCL tear during Sunday's 27-24 win over the Bears, an injury that would require surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: It was initially reported by Rapoport that the initial diagnosis of Pitts' injury was an MCL sprain, but it appears that his MRI on Monday has revealed more substantial damage. Pitts is reportedly seeking a second opinion, but it appears that he could be in danger of a potentially season-ending injury. Coach Arthur Smith may provide an official update on Pitts' health during his media availability Monday.
Nov 21, 2022 9:42 AM EST
Pitts (knee) is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain during Sunday's 27-24 win over the Bears, and he will have an MRI on Monday to confirm, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Pitts was able to leave the field under his own power Sunday, and he caught three of his five targets for 43 yards before exiting. If the 2021 first-round pick's injury diagnosis is confirmed via MRI on Monday, the Falcons will stand to provide an official update on his health, potentially along with an expected return timetable. Grade I and Grade II sprains require significantly different recovery periods, so fantasy managers will need to await further clarification in any case.
Nov 21, 2022 8:46 AM EST
Coach Arthur Smith didn't have an update on the status of Pitts (knee) following Sunday's win over the Bears, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Analysis: Prior to his exit from the contest, Pitts caught three of his five targets for 43 yards. In any case, the 2021 first-rounder's status will need to be monitored closely as next Sunday's game against the Commanders approaches, with Parker Hesse and MyCole Pruitt next up for TE snaps should Pitts be forced to miss any time.
Nov 20, 2022 2:00 PM EST
Pitts is questionable to return to Sunday's matchup against the Bears due to a knee injury, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Analysis: Pitts took a hard hit after securing an 18-yard catch over the middle of the field and was able to jog off the field but went immediately to the locker room. He led the team in targets (five), receptions (three) and receiving yards (43) before exiting, so his potential absence would be a huge blow to Atlanta's offense. Parker Hesse and MyCole Pruitt are candidates for increased snaps with Pitts sidelined, but neither tight end possesses the pass-catching skills that the 2021 first-round pick has.
Nov 20, 2022 12:09 PM EST
Pitts secured two of eight targets for 28 yards in the Falcons' 25-15 loss to the Panthers on Thursday night.
Analysis: Pitts led the team in targets for the second time in four days, but he once again was limited to just two receptions. Pitts now has an encouraging 21 targets over the last three games overall, but his 9-135-1 line in that span is underwhelming to a degree. Pitts' upside is likely to remain capped while Marcus Mariota is under center and restricted to a game-manager role, but the 2021 first-round pick will aim for a boost in production and better efficiency against the vulnerable Bears defense in a Week 11 home matchup a week from Sunday.
Nov 10, 2022 9:08 PM EST
Pitts secured two of seven targets for 27 yards in the Falcons' 20-17 loss to the Chargers on Sunday.
Analysis: Pitts paced the Falcons in receiving yards and tied with Drake London for the lead in targets, but the sparseness of the former tally is a testament to how underwhelming a day it was for Atlanta's air attack overall. The athletic tight end is a victim of head coach Arthur Smith's decision to keep Marcus Mariota in a very strict game manager role, so expectations should be tempered despite what would seem to be a mostly favorable matchup against the Panthers in a Week 10 Thursday night clash.
Nov 6, 2022 4:25 PM EST
Pitts caught five of nine targets for 80 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 37-34 win over the Panthers.
Analysis: Pitts led the Falcons in receptions, targets and yards while submitting his best performance of the season. The second-year tight end's second score of the campaign came on a well-schemed play that left Pitts wide open for a two-yard score. However, he also made plenty of big plays through the air as well, catching passes of 26 and 33 yards. Given his high ADP, Pitts has certainly been a disappoint, but he's also capable of breaking out of his slump in a big way. Pitts will look to build off his season-high performance against the Chargers in Week 9.
Oct 30, 2022 2:55 PM EST
Pitts recorded three receptions on five targets for nine yards in Sunday's 35-17 loss to the Bengals.
Analysis: Pitts led the Falcons in targets, though he was still limited as Atlanta stuck to an extremely run-heavy offensive gameplan despite trailing the entire game. That's been a problem for the entire season, as Pitts has at least five targets in only three of his six games this season and has topped 25 receiving yards in a game only once. His struggles can't all be pinned to volume however, as he's also averaged only 5.9 yards per target. The end result has been a very disappointing sophomore campaign for Pitts.
Oct 23, 2022 5:39 PM EST
Pitts hauled in all three of his targets for 19 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 28-14 victory over the 49ers.
Analysis: Pitts returned to action in Week 6 following a one-game absence due to a hamstring injury and scored his first touchdown of the campaign. Given his high ADP, the second-year tight end has been a major disappoint this season, but he still remains a key part of Atlanta's offense. Through five appearances, Pitts has caught 13 of 25 targets for 169 yards and one score. He'll look to build off his solid performance during the Falcons' Week 7 matchup against the Bengals.
Oct 16, 2022 2:04 PM EST
Pitts (hamstring) is active for Sunday's game versus the 49ers, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Analysis: Pitts is back from a one-game absence due to a hamstring injury, and he'll be a welcome sight for quarterback Marcus Mariota against San Francisco's third-ranked pass defense (177.8 yards per game). Through four appearances in his second campaign, Pitts has one outing with at least 80 yards, three others with 25 or fewer yards and no touchdowns on 22 targets.
Oct 16, 2022 8:39 AM EST
Pitts (hamstring), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the 49ers, is expected to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: The tight end returned to limited practices Wednesday through Friday after sitting out all of last week and ultimately missing the 21-15 loss to Tampa Bay. Pitts also said Wednesday that he expects to play, but fantasy managers will still want to confirm his status when inactivates are announced before Atlanta's 1 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.
Oct 16, 2022 12:12 AM EST
Pitts (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the 49ers, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Pitts said Wednesday that he expects to play, but the Falcons may still view it as an unresolved matter ahead of their 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday. The tight end returned to limited practices this week, after sitting out all of last week and ultimately missing the 21-15 loss to Tampa Bay. His absence led to a jump in playing time for converted college QB Feleipe Franks, who finished with two targets (both incomplete) on 30 snaps (45 percent), after playing just six snaps total over the first four weeks of the season.
Oct 14, 2022 10:05 AM EST
Pitts (hamstring) was a limited practice participant Thursday, Ashton Edmunds of the Falcons' official site reports.
Analysis: Pitts maintained his activity level for a second straight session, which comes on the heels of the first absence of his career due to a hamstring injury. It should be noted that the rookie tight end relayed to Josh Kendall of The Athletic on Wednesday that he expects to be available Sunday against the 49ers, so Pitts' listing on Friday's practice report may back up that sentiment.
Oct 13, 2022 1:07 PM EST
Pitts (hamstring) practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday, Scott Bair of the Falcons' official site reports.
Analysis: One week removed from not practicing at all before logging the first DNP of his career this past Sunday at Tampa Bay, Pitts was back on the field as Atlanta gears up for a Week 6 matchup with the 49ers. He told Josh Kendall of The Athletic on Wednesday that he expects to return Sunday, but he may need to practice in full Thursday and/or Friday to enter the weekend without a designation.
Oct 12, 2022 1:18 PM EST
Coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that Pitts (hamstring) will resume practicing, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Pitts sat out Week 5 after being sidelined for three straight practices with a hamstring issue, so it will be encouraging to see him handle even a limited session Wednesday. Smith said the Falcons will monitor Pitts in practice throughout the week before making a decision about his availability for Sunday's contest against the 49ers.
Oct 12, 2022 8:38 AM EST
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