The last time Matt Ryan and Kyle Pitts were on the same team it was 2021, and Pitts had a historic season. Hopefully, history will repeat itself in 2026 now that the Falcons have placed the franchise tag on Pitts.
In 2021, when Pitts was a rookie, Ryan was his quarterback. Pitts looked like a star with 68 catches for 1,026 yards and one touchdown on 110 targets, and he averaged 10.4 PPR points per game. He became just the second rookie tight end with over 1,000 receiving yards, joining Mike Ditka, who accomplished the feat in 1961 with 1,076 yards. Brock Bowers joined their exclusive club in 2024 with 1,194 yards.
Fast forward to 2026, and Ryan is now the president of the Falcons. He was part of the decision to keep Pitts in Atlanta, and this is a great move for Pitts’ Fantasy value.
With Kevin Stefanski the new head coach of the Falcons, it could be another standout season for Pitts, who was great in 2025. He had 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets, and he averaged 12.4 PPR points per game. He was the No. 5 tight end for the season.
But before we look at Stefanski’s history of using tight ends during his time in Cleveland (2020-25), let’s look at what Pitts has done in his career. And, as Fantasy managers, we know he’s been more potential than production during his five-year tenure.
Following his rookie campaign, Pitts struggled with a knee injury in 2022 and averaged just 7.6 PPR points in 10 games. He had another down season in 2023 at 8.1 PPR points per game, and he was at 7.7 PPR points per game in 2024.
Most Fantasy managers gave up on Pitts in 2025, and he was the No. 17 tight end selected based on the CBS Sports Average Draft Position at 143.3. But for anyone who drafted him, it was a nice reward.
He scored at least 12.9 PPR points in four of his first seven games. And in the second half of the season, Pitts was heroic at times, especially in the Fantasy playoffs when he had four games in a row with at least 15 PPR points from Weeks 13-16.
Included in that stretch w