The Colts are the Perfect Landing Spot for Michael Pittman
Somewhat buried among a draft class deep in high-quality wide receivers, Michael Pittman was a bit overshadowed during the pre-draft process but landed in the perfect spot for early success. The former USC wideout and son of former NFL running back Michael Pittman was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the 34th overall pick at the top of Round 2.
Stepping into a Colts team with minimal competition at wideout, Pittman is in a position to be a fantasy contributor right from the start of his NFL career.
Michael Pittman at USC
The 22-year old had what some would consider a late breakout during his senior year, recording 1,275 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns for the Trojans in 2019. He did this with a revolving carousel of quarterbacks tossing him the ball including true freshman Kedon Slovis.
A big-bodied wideout with decent speed, Pittman mostly lined up outside for USC and found success tracking the ball on vertical routes. He only dropped five of 245 career targets which is difficult to even comprehend (looking at you, Eric Ebron), as he’s excellent at high pointing the ball while using his body to fend off smaller defenders.
If we look at Sports Info Solutions positive play rate vs. man coverage, Pittman blew away his fellow draftees when it came to man-on-man dominance in 2019.
- Michael Pittman – 74%
- Justin Jefferson – 67%
- Denzel Mims – 62%
- Tee Higgins – 62%
- Laviska Shenault Jr. – 61%
- Henry Ruggs – 58%
- Jerry Jeudy – 48%
- CeeDee Lamb – 48%
- Brandon Aiyuk – 41%
- Jalen Reagor – 32%
This video compilation below shows a smattering of Pittman’s highlights from last season, showcasing how he shines in coverage, utilizing his 6’4”, 223-lb frame.
Why the Colts are an Ideal Fit
Similar to the Saints, Indianapolis has been searching for a WR2 for what seems like a decade. T.Y. Hilton is locked in as their number one guy, but he and Pittman are different enough in their games to coexist for fantasy purposes. Hilton is primarily a deep threat, while Pittman should thrive as a possession guy.
The receivers standing in his way for targets are Zach Pascal and Parris Campbell, who have both been underwhelming for the Colts in their early-NFL careers. Jack Doyle and Trey Burton are decent tight ends, but neither is enough of a target beast to limit Pittman’s upside in 2020. As you can see from the table below, the highest target share on the Colts offense was a mere 14.20%, shared by Doyle and Pascal.
| Player | Pos | G | Targets | Targets/G | Target Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Doyle | TE | 16 | 72 | 4.5 | 14.20% |
| Zach Pascal | WR | 16 | 72 | 4.5 | 14.20% |
| T.Y. Hilton | WR | 10 | 69 | 6.9 | 13.60% |
| Nyheim Hines | RB | 16 | 58 | 3.6 | 11.50% |
| Eric Ebron | TE | 11 | 52 | 4.7 | 10.30% |
| Marcus Johnson | WR | 8 | 33 | 4.1 | 6.50% |
| Chester Rogers | WR | 12 | 26 | 2.2 | 5.10% |
| Parris Campbell | WR | 7 | 24 | 3.4 | 4.70% |
| Deon Cain | WR | 13 | 20 | 1.5 | 4.00% |
| Marlon Mack | RB | 14 | 17 | 1.2 | 3.40% |
| Hale Hentges | TE | 11 | 14 | 1.3 | 2.80% |
| Jordan Wilkins | RB | 14 | 11 | 0.8 | 2.20% |
| Mo Alie-Cox | TE | 16 | 11 | 0.7 | 2.20% |
| Spencer Ware | RB | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 1.40% |
| Ross Travis | TE | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 1.20% |
| Jonathan Williams | RB | 8 | 5 | 0.6 | 1.00% |
| Devin Funchess | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1.00% |
| Ashton Dulin | WR | 13 | 2 | 0.2 | 0.40% |
| Jacoby Brissett | QB | 15 | 1 | 0.1 | 0.20% |
| Chad Williams | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.20% |
Indy does have a new face under center, yet their offensive line remains one of the best in the league. According to PFF, the Colts ended the 2019 regular season as the third-ranked group in the NFL, led by guard Quentin Nelson. With Philip Rivers upright, he can connect with his new big-bodied weapon.
Speaking of Rivers and large receivers—it’s no secret that he loves them. In a video released by the team, GM Chris Ballard and coach Frank Reich compared Pittman to former Charger Vincent Jackson, who posted 4,695 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns over 84 games in the six years with Rivers as his quarterback. More recently, Mike Williams fit the bill as his tall wideout who can win those contested catches.
Rivers also has no problem throwing to rookies, as evidenced by Keenan Allen’s first year in the league. Allen was second in the Charger’s offense to Antonio Gates in targets with 104, which he turned into 1,046 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Indy’s new signal-caller has always been a gunslinger and has no problem throwing up those 50-50 balls for big receivers he trusts.
Pittman’s fit in this offense should be seamless, and he has the potential to thrive in his first season in the league. He may not be a massive yardage accumulator, but he’ll make up for it in red-zone prowess and volume in PPR formats.
Bottom Line
Despite being the eighth receiver off the board in the 2020 draft as a second-rounder, Michael Pittman could end up with the best fantasy campaign among rookies due to his fit in Indy.
- Pittman has a clear path to targets from the start and could end up doing the dirty work in the Colts passing game due to his build and physicality.
- Philip Rivers loves a massive-bodied target and once they create chemistry, Pittman Jr. could become his go-to guy in the red zone and in goal-line situations
- In redraft leagues, Pittman is probably a WR4 with plenty of WR3 upside. He may go undrafted in some home leagues, and end up a hot waiver wire add once the season gets underway.
