The Atlanta Falcons and Kyle Pitts continue to confuse their own fans along with fantasy football players everywhere.
Why isn’t the talented tight end Pitts playing more? It’s hard to say, but it’s clear that the other tight ends Charlie Woerner, Nick Muse and Austin Hooper are all getting to play more as Pitts plays less.
The NFL is having a tight end renaissance. Teams are starting to run more sets with two or three tight ends. They’re starting to keep four tight ends active on gameday.
The Falcons are doing that, too, and you’d think it would be good news for Pitts.
Instead, Pitts has lacked productivity in the early stages of this season.
He has just five catches for 67 total yards through four games.
Pitts had no catches in Week 1. Then he had one catch for 15 yards and one catch for five yards the next two weeks.
Finally, Pitts had a better game in Week 4, when he had three grabs for 47 yards. That was still on just three targets. The Falcons haven’t thrown to Pitts more than three times in a game yet this season.
Why Isn’t Kyle Pitts Playing More?
The Falcons simply haven’t figured out how to turn Pitts into a consistent weapon.
He’s more of a wide receiver than a tight end, which does mean he comes off the field on some downs as Atlanta looks to prioritize blocking.
And then even when the Falcons throw with Pitts on the field, their priority is so strongly to throw the ball to Drake London or Bijan Robinson — and they run it both Bijan and Brian Robinson Jr. a lot, too.
Michael Penix Jr. has had decent success throwing to Pitts in his career, but that hasn’t translated a ton since Penix returned from injury in Week 3.
Pitts is still likely set up to have some big games here and there. He’s got too much athleticism. He’s too much of a matchup problem.
But he doesn’t have a game built for consistency, and that has shown so far this season.
Charlie Woerner, Nick Muse, Austin Hooper
Hooper is the most well-known name in this bunch, but he doesn’t actually get on the field more than Woerner or Muse.
Penix has targeted Hooper in the red zone, though, so it’s worth watching him when the Falcons get down there.
Woerner is mostly a blocker. He has just two targets through four weeks. But the Falcons will play him on half or more of their plays to let him do his thing up front.
Muse was initially a practice squad guy, but the Falcons clearly like him as a blocker, too. He’s yet to be targeted, but he’s gotten decent playing time in all four games this season.
The Falcons use these tight ends to set up better pocket space for Penix and better time to get the ball to London and Robinson, and in Weeks 3 and 4, it worked great. They don’t have a reason to change.
Why Kyle Pitts Is Losing Playing Time To Charlie Woerner, Nick Muse, Austin Hooper in Falcons’ TE Depth Chart