Michael Pittman Jr.’s Dynasty Value | Fantasy Outlook, Ranking, and More

The Indianapolis Colts will be looking to watch their offense improve with explosive QB Anthony Richardson back leading the charge in 2024. He returns from a shoulder injury that cost him 13 games during his rookie season.

Subsequently, there is some confusion when looking to properly handle the dynasty ranking for Michael Pittman Jr., as there is no shortage of moving pieces.

Can he build on a career year and excel moving forward, or is a versatile quarterback a bad thing for a fantasy football WR1 who relies on volume?

The team made a statement this offseason in inking their ace pass catcher to a three-year, $70 million ($41 guaranteed) deal, something that suggests that the Colts value what Pittman brings to the table, and his ability to aid in the development of Richardson, who they hope is their franchise signal-caller.

Michael Pittman Jr.’s Dynasty Outlook

Any 26 year old who is riding a three-season stretch with 296 catches and plays for a balanced offense with upside at the quarterback position should be of interest to you. Pittman fits that billing.

HUGE catch by #Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. in OT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/1P8MGioSBg

— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 24, 2023

The high-pedigree wideout set career highs in catches (109) and receiving yards (1,152) during a strong 2023 campaign. The Colts pivoted from the athletic stylings of Richardson under center to the gunslinging ways of Gardner Minshew, a forced change that had the potential to crater Pittman’s fantasy football stock.

Instead, he thrived.

Despite missing a game, Pittman finished with 11 more catches than any of his teammates had targets. He shined brightest in the middle of the season to help position your fantasy team for a playoff run (75+ yards or a touchdown in eight of nine games from Weeks 6 through Week 14).

That’s all well and good, but dynasty fantasy football is about looking out the windshield and not the rearview mirror. The fact that Pittman was able to succeed with Minshew calling the shots was great, but it doesn’t mean much when evaluating his future value.

This offense will look considerably different in 2024 and, ideally, for the Colts, for the rest of Pittman’s career.

MORE: Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart

Indianapolis was working in a new head coach — one that has now been a part of three straight top-12 scoring teams — a new offensive coordinator, and injuries to star players at quarterback and running back.

You could argue they were learning on the fly in 2023. Imagine what Pittman can do with some stability.

Pittman’s Dynasty Ranking

Where does Pittman land in the dynasty WR landscape going into the 2024 offseason? Here are Soppe’s latest rankings, featuring where Pittman lands in comparison to other top names at the position.

1) Ja’Marr Chase | CIN
2) Tyreek Hill | MIA
3) CeeDee Lamb | DAL
4) Justin Jefferson | MIN
5) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET
6) A.J. Brown | PHI
7) Garrett Wilson | NYJ
8) Jaylen Waddle | MIA
9) Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI
10) Chris Olave | NO
11) Puka Nacua | LAR
12) Michael Pittman Jr. | IND
13) Nico Collins | HOU
14) Brandon Aiyuk | SF
15) Rashee Rice | KC
16) DJ Moore | CHI
17) Amari Cooper | CLE
18) Drake London | ATL
19) Rome Odunze | CHI
20) Tee Higgins | CIN

Should You Trade Pittman in Dynasty?

Are you considering trading Pittman? Our free PFN Trade Analyzer allows you to find the best trade offer to make in seconds!

Pittman was going to be a fantasy starter and a target in dynasty leagues, regardless of where he signed, and Indy is no exception. His athletic profile and ability to handle a variety of coverages are transferable, and where he sits on the age curve suggests that his best football is ahead of him.

Here is the profile that we have to work with during Pittman’s limited time with Richardson under center:

• 27.2% target share
• 25.3% target rate (targets/routes)
• 59.1% catch rate
• 9.7 aDOT (average depth of target)

Pittman played well under Minshew — one of the best backups in football. However, he’s multiple steps below the quarterbacks that competitive teams can offer Pittman. Here’s how Pittman fared with Minshew under center:

• 31.4% target share
• 29.6% target rate
• 71.6% catch rate
• 7.6 aDOT

If you’re curious where Pittman can grow his fantasy production, it’s down the field. He has caught under 26% of his deep passes (15+ air yards) in consecutive seasons and only has three career touchdowns on those passes.

His average depth of target (aDOT) spike with Richardson under center would hint at that potentially becoming part of his game.

My thought is that Pittman is a good buy now that we know he is staying with the Colts, as there is the potential for failure with Richardson at QB that could creep into the minds of managers.

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If he had moved on, Pittman’s value stood to increase, given the high-level teams that were in the WR market. But that’s water under the bridge now.

If you have Pittman, I’m holding. Sure, there is some uncertainty around this passing game — there is no denying that with the limited snaps we’ve seen from Richardson. That said, could this offense trend in the direction of the Eagles and thus be positioned to be a top-10 offense for years to come?

I tend to think yes. If that happens, you’ll be happy to have him as your top receiver, especially in PPR situations.