30 players who will avoid bust status with a breakout campaign in 2024
By Nick Villano
8. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Kyle Pitts comes in at his team’s usual draft slot, number eight. For three years in a row, the Falcons have chosen eighth overall. And all three of those years, the Falcons have hoped to get more out of Kyle Pitts. Did you know that Pitts is going into his fourth NFL season? He’s a former fourth-overall pick. Taking a tight end with such a high pick, the Falcons expected Travis Kelce’s twin brother.
Instead, Pitts has been average at best. He finished outside the top 10 in receiving yards among tight ends, even falling behind rookie Dalton Kincaid. His three touchdowns were tied with the likes of Tommy Tremble, Mo Allie-Cox, and Adam Trautman.
Now, the big, bad wolf (Arthur Smith) is gone. Many believe that is the key to getting the most out of Pitts. He was stuck under a bad coach. Many point to the use of Bijan Robinson as a reason to have faith. Analysts say Smith didn’t know how to use the talent he had. Sure, but Pitts still needs to perform.
There might be no player in the league that has the “boom or bust” status that Pitts has right now. The door is still open for him to be a superstar. Yet, this is a 23-year-old player. Eleven players who were drafted in the first round of 2024 were at least 23 years old. Pitts will get more chances, but this is the last chance to make this work with the Falcons.