If we're not counting Cooper Rush, then the most-disappointing member of the Atlanta Falcons so far this year is sixth-year tight end Kyle Pitts.
Coming off a breakout 2025 season, Pitts signed a three-year, $53 million contract extension this offseason that made him the fourth-highest paid player in the NFL at his position.
Unfortunately, PItts has yet to move the needle this year - although it's no fault of his own.
Through three games Pitts has only been targeted six times, totaling two catches, 20 yards and zero touchdowns. Although it's an unqualified bummer for Pitts' fantasy football owners, some analysts still believe that he can produce. Here's Marc Raimondi at ESPN on the outlook for No. 8.
"Pitts was one of the most productive tight ends
last season and a boon for fantasy players. He was the 10th tight end taken in ESPN drafts, but he has 1.3 fantasy points so far. Part of it has not been his fault. The Falcons' offense was a mess the first two weeks with third-string quarterback Cooper Rush. There is hope for Pitts with the return of Michael Penix Jr., but he had only one catch for 5 yards in Penix's Week 3 debut."
Given the amount of attention that tight ends typically receive in a Kevin Stefanski offense, it seems impossible that Pitts will continue to get ignored at this level and inevitable that he'll start putting up numbers.
Then again, Pitts did his best work in the second half of last season when Drake London was sidelined. Pitts took over as the team's No. 1 option and finished as the leader in receiving yards in 2025.
We're willing to bet Pitts will break out of his funk eventually - but his (fantasy) ceiling may be significantly lower than we thought coming into the season.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: ESPN: Hope remains for Falcons TE Kyle Pitts despite slow start
