The Kyle "Is not the" Pitts Thread

[joeya2001]

Drafting a TE in the first is a touch call. They typically dont produce for the first 2 maybe 3 years.

This is a fallacy.

Maybe true of the career long streamers like Kyle Rudolph but all of the elite HOF caliber TEs had a top 6 TE finish by the end of their 2nd year.

Gronk 90-1327-17 in year 2
Gates 81-964-13
Kelce 67-896-5
Witten 87-980-6
Ertz 58-702-3
Kittle 88-1377-5
etc

It's true that the 1st round has not been kind to TE prospects in a long while, but the idea you have to wait 3-4 years to see what you have isn't really true.

it feels like Kittle has been in the league for years now, but I forgot he was drafted at the age of 24

[Dibbles]

If dynasty has taught me anything, its not to draft TE in the first round of rookie drafts

This exactly for me. In my experience, you are much better off waiting for clarity on a dominant TE and then overpaying to acquire one of those 2-3 guys. This saves precious roster spots from being filled with endless TE wasteland hopeful dart throws, enables better hit rate with draft picks at other positions, and (while expensive) guarantees a positional advantage for years to come. If you have even slightly shallow rosters, there is nothing worse than drafting a TE early and waiting 2-3 years before realizing they are a dime a dozen. TE is the only position I will actually pay up for because the hit rate on TE’s is so incredibly low relative to other QB/RB/WR draft picks and waiver acquisitions.

[Needalife]

Same for me. I'd rather overpay for a proven guy later than spend a 1st on TE. If there was ever a class, I thought OJ Howard, Engram and Njoku might have been the best class I'd ever seen. Engram's been ok but I learned my lesson on TEs as mentioned by others here. This is a nice crop but I'll take Pat Freiermuth in the 2nd and he'll prob end up outscoring Pitts. For some reason, it always seems like the later round guys (Kittle, Andrews) are the ones that pan out.

[briank]

Drafting a TE in the first is a touch call. They typically dont produce for the first 2 maybe 3 years.

I think this is a fallacy.

Maybe true of the career long streamers like Kyle Rudolph but all of the elite HOF caliber TEs had a top 6 TE finish by the end of their 2nd year.

Gronk 90-1327-17 in year 2
Gates 81-964-13
Kelce 67-896-5
Witten 87-980-6
Ertz 58-702-3
Kittle 88-1377-5
etc

It's true that the 1st round has not been kind to TE prospects in a long while, but the idea you have to wait 3-4 years to see what you have isn't really true.

None of the guys you listed were 1st round rookie picks in dynasty.

Gronk and Aaron Hernandez weren't 1st round rookie picks. You know who was? Jermaine Gresham.

I wasn't playing dynasty in 2003, but I doubt Gates or Witten were. Witten was a 3rd round NFL pick and Gates went undrafted.

Kelce was a 2nd/3rd behind Eifert going near the back of the 1st. Ertz was a 3/4.

Kittle was late and sometimes undrafted behind a ton of TE like OJ Howard, Njoku, etc.

[dynastyninja]

TE is always so difficult. Makes me hard to even trust my eyes when evaluating a prospect. Situation and QB seem to be 75% of the equation for TE success.

[murphysxm]

Drafting a TE in the first is a touch call. They typically dont produce for the first 2 maybe 3 years.

I think this is a fallacy.

Maybe true of the career long streamers like Kyle Rudolph but all of the elite HOF caliber TEs had a top 6 TE finish by the end of their 2nd year.

Gronk 90-1327-17 in year 2
Gates 81-964-13
Kelce 67-896-5
Witten 87-980-6
Ertz 58-702-3
Kittle 88-1377-5
etc

It's true that the 1st round has not been kind to TE prospects in a long while, but the idea you have to wait 3-4 years to see what you have isn't really true.

None of the guys you listed were 1st round rookie picks in dynasty.

Gronk and Aaron Hernandez weren't 1st round rookie picks. You know who was? Jermaine Gresham.

I wasn't playing dynasty in 2003, but I doubt Gates or Witten were. Witten was a 3rd round NFL pick and Gates went undrafted.

Kelce was a 2nd/3rd behind Eifert going near the back of the 1st. Ertz was a 3/4.

Kittle was late and sometimes undrafted behind a ton of TE like OJ Howard, Njoku, etc.

I think his point was if a TE hasn't hit by year two, they probably won't. The great TE's hit early. He's speaking more to the posters griping about holding TE's for 3-4 years to see if they will turn into that guy. I could be wrong though

[briank]

I think this is a fallacy.

Maybe true of the career long streamers like Kyle Rudolph but all of the elite HOF caliber TEs had a top 6 TE finish by the end of their 2nd year.

Gronk 90-1327-17 in year 2
Gates 81-964-13
Kelce 67-896-5
Witten 87-980-6
Ertz 58-702-3
Kittle 88-1377-5
etc

It's true that the 1st round has not been kind to TE prospects in a long while, but the idea you have to wait 3-4 years to see what you have isn't really true.

None of the guys you listed were 1st round rookie picks in dynasty.

Gronk and Aaron Hernandez weren't 1st round rookie picks. You know who was? Jermaine Gresham.

I wasn't playing dynasty in 2003, but I doubt Gates or Witten were. Witten was a 3rd round NFL pick and Gates went undrafted.

Kelce was a 2nd/3rd behind Eifert going near the back of the 1st. Ertz was a 3/4.

Kittle was late and sometimes undrafted behind a ton of TE like OJ Howard, Njoku, etc.

I think his point was if a TE hasn't hit by year two, they probably won't. The great TE's hit early. He's speaking more to the posters griping about holding TE's for 3-4 years to see if they will turn into that guy. I could be wrong though

Yeah, I got that, but the examples don't fit the conversation either.

Vernon Davis is an example of a top pick breaking out in year 4. Heath Miller broke out in year 5. Dallas Clark in year 5. Ben Coats, Greg Olsen, Shannon Sharp, Waller... there are plenty of examples of TE taking a few years to become productive.

I do agree that if you don't see any immediate impact, and the player doesn't improve year to year, they probably wont become a star. That doesn't mean they can't become a fantasy relevant TE.

This conversation is about taking a TE in the 1st round of a rookie draft though. This list further proves that it's not a good idea. Lots of these stars were not 1st round rookie picks and several 1st round rookie TE have flopped.

I'll take the guys that are a better bet to produce immediately and hold their value and take more shots on TE late in drafts. I can always trade for established TE.

[Yarnith]

Can't see anything better mid to late 2nd for any rookie TE regardless of the hype. Spot means a lot and great NFL TE's are often mediocre fantasy TE's.

[lic217]

I agree that drafting tight ends in the first round of fantasy draft is probably not a good idea but when I watch Kyle play he seems like anything but a tight end. Seems like a wide receiver. I think a lot of it’s going to depend on his usage. If a team is going to use him as a traditional tight end he is going to be like most of the first round Guys but if a team is going to use him like Jimmy Graham for the Saints where he’s mostly splitting out wide then I think he is cannot miss Prospect as you can get at te. one that has the potential to be one of the best receiving tight end in the league within a couple a couple years.

[DJB]

I wrote a huge writeup on Pitts in the summer.

Enjoy!!!

https://www.dynastyfootballlife.com/kyle-pitts

[Cameron Giles]

I agree that drafting tight ends in the first round of fantasy draft is probably not a good idea but when I watch Kyle play he seems like anything but a tight end. Seems like a wide receiver. I think a lot of it’s going to depend on his usage. If a team is going to use him as a traditional tight end he is going to be like most of the first round Guys but if a team is going to use him like Jimmy Graham for the Saints where he’s mostly splitting out wide then I think he is cannot miss Prospect as you can get at te. one that has the potential to be one of the best receiving tight end in the league within a couple a couple years.

You could say that about the majority of TEs who come into the league these days though, even if Pitts may be better than the typical. Pitts is definitely really good, but he doesn't really look unique in how he's used.

It's more rare to see a TE who plays like a WR and adds high value as a blocker. It's why George Kittle is a unicorn of a TE, and may legitimately be the most valuable non-QB in the NFL.

[lic217]

I agree that drafting tight ends in the first round of fantasy draft is probably not a good idea but when I watch Kyle play he seems like anything but a tight end. Seems like a wide receiver. I think a lot of it’s going to depend on his usage. If a team is going to use him as a traditional tight end he is going to be like most of the first round Guys but if a team is going to use him like Jimmy Graham for the Saints where he’s mostly splitting out wide then I think he is cannot miss Prospect as you can get at te. one that has the potential to be one of the best receiving tight end in the league within a couple a couple years.

You could say that about the majority of TEs who come into the league these days though, even if Pitts may be better than the typical. Pitts is definitely really good, but he doesn't really look unique in how he's used.

It's more rare to see a TE who plays like a WR and adds high value as a blocker. It's why George Kittle is a unicorn of a TE, and may legitimately be the most valuable non-QB in the NFL.

Great points!

[CL3VELANDBR0WNS]

I have 4 first rounders in 2021 and would seriously consider him ahead of a WR in the top 10.
He looks like a true game changer. I have never drafted a TE or QB in round 1 in dynasty in the decade plus that I've been playing so I have to be pretty sold on a guy to say that. A lot of it will depend on his combine speed and landing spot. Florida can also play their way into some big time games assuming they stay at 1 loss going into the SEC championship. Trask/Pitts will really be all the hype if they can kill it in the big spots.

[Patsfan86]

Would taking him at 1.03 with this as my starting roster be insane? I need some help on this.

Matt Ryan/ Derek Carr
Nick Chubb
Antonio Gibson
Swift
Dk
Pittman
Mims
Irv Smith/ Gerald Everett

[boochluke]

Would taking him at 1.03 with this as my starting roster be insane? I need some help on this.

Matt Ryan/ Derek Carr
Nick Chubb
Antonio Gibson
Swift
Dk
Pittman
Mims
Irv Smith/ Gerald Everett

I don't really want to draft for need, but if I did, I'd probably go WR at 1.03 with this class and that roster. (Assuming you are in 1QB)