What started out as a promising season for the Falcons has slowly spiraled into chaos. Three straight losses, in which the team scored an average of 12 points, has cast doubt over Atlanta’s once-high powered offense. While stars like wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson have continued to produce, the same can’t be said of quarterback Kirk Cousins and tight end Kyle Pitts.
Last Sunday’s 17-13 home loss to the Chargers may have been the most brutal game of the year for any team that isn’t the Bears. In spite of three Cousins interceptions, including a pick-six, the Falcons had the ball at Los Angeles’ 35-yard line with 47 seconds remaining, a touchdown away from winning the game. That was until Captain Kirk threw, you guessed it, his fourth pick of the day.
Cousins’ numbers, while atrocious as of late, still look decent from a season-long perspective. The veteran is on pace for over 4,000 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. The same can’t be said for Pitts. The former generational prospect has disappointed yet again, even while playing under the best quarterback of his young NFL career. So far, the tight end has recorded just 35 catches for 494 yards and three touchdowns.
Is there hope for either of these two going forward, or should fantasy managers look elsewhere?
While it’s tempting to dump Cousins, Atlanta’s upcoming schedule is promising. Following this week’s game against Minnesota, the Falcons face three below-average defenses in the Raiders, Giants, and Commanders. That doesn’t automatically make Kirk a must-start, but he’s worth rostering for those looking to mix and match at quarterback throughout the fantasy playoffs. It helps that the four-time Pro Bowler has plenty of terrific weapons on offense to throw to, which should keep his floor higher than other pocket passers.
That list of weapons doesn’t include Pitts, who hasn’t done enough over four seasons to justify starting in leagues of fourteen teams or fewer. There’s nothing wrong with being a serviceable role player, but it’s tough to see someone with elite athleticism reduced to a fourth option on offense. While it’s easy to get entranced by a 6’6″ tight end that runs faster than most wide receivers, fantasy managers need to stay far away. Over Atlanta’s previous four games, Pitts has recorded a total of six catches for 75 yards. In short, there’s nothing that suggests he can salvage another letdown of a season.
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