Twelve tight ends are already averaging at least 11 PPR Fantasy points per game this season, which is wild. But here’s the kicker: about half of those guys weren’t even drafted to be starters back in August. That means some of the ‘sure things’ are looking like total busts right out of the gate, and honestly, none are bigger disappointments after two weeks than Colston Loveland and Kyle Pitts.
The Kyle Pitts Conundrum: Bust or Bad Luck?
Let’s be real, it’s easy to make excuses for Kyle Pitts, and you probably should. The guy has been playing without his actual quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix, for the first two weeks of the season. Instead, we’ve seen Cooper Rush and Jack Strand combine for a paltry 288 passing yards and just one touchdown in those games. Even if Pitts had snagged a monster 30% share of those receiving yards, he’d still be a bust. What actually happened was Bijan Robinson gobbling up more than half the targets in Week 1, and Rush just handing the ball over to the defense in Week 2 before Strand came in and immediately threw a pick-six. Disaster, pure and simple. Pitts has scored a pathetic 2.5 Fantasy points this season, which is just painful to look at. But here’s the good news: Penix is expected back this week. So, while you definitely can’t start Pitts in Week 3, you are absolutely holding onto him to see what this offense looks like with an actual NFL-caliber quarterback throwing the ball.
Loveland’s Nightmare Start and Other TE Shocks
Believe it or not, Loveland’s start to the season has been even worse than Pitts’. He’s got one catch for three yards. That’s it. And now, just like Pitts in the first two weeks, it looks like Loveland will be stuck with his third-string quarterback in Week 3, against the Philadelphia Eagles no less. He doesn’t even crack the top 20 tight ends in projections for me this week. So, yeah, you absolutely need to add one of those waiver wire options and start them over Loveland. But here’s the crucial part: do not drop him. The guy is still running a route on 79.7% of the Bears’ pass attempts, and if you watch the tape, he’s still getting open. He’s a remarkably talented and very young tight end. Hold him, but bench him for now.
Meanwhile, the tight end position is full of other surprises. Travis Kelce is already cooking, with back-to-back games of at least 71 receiving yards. He only had three such games in all of 2025! Dalton Kincaid is averaging a ridiculous 4.69 yards per route run through two weeks in 2026, after leading all tight ends with 2.83 YPRR last year. Sam LaPorta already has four red zone targets in two games, with only Trey McBride having more than three. And Dalton Schultz looks like a must-start if Nico Collins is out again, after seeing a 28% target share in Week 2 without him. Isaiah Likely is also getting nearly a 30% target share, second only to McBride. Then there’s Tyler Warren, with 34 receiving yards in two weeks, who’s currently looking like the most touchdown-dependent option out there.
The tight end landscape is a wild ride this early, with guys like Kelce and Kincaid putting up numbers that demand attention. But for Pitts and Loveland, Week 3 is where we really start watching if those QBs can get them involved. Don’t bail just yet, but definitely check the waiver wire for a plug-and-play.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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