Show Navigation
Show Menu
Player Profile

Michael Pittman Jr. - Fantasy Points Outlook

Basic StatsMichael Pittman Jr.'s Basic Stats

Michael Pittman Jr.
ADP: N/A
Bye: 11
Experience: 3 Yr(s)
Age: 26.1
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 223
40 Time: 4.52
Speed Score: 111.20
SPARQx (Rank): 112.10 (74%)
Burst Score (Rank): 122.60 (58%)
Agility Score (Rank): 11.10 (67%)
Catch Radius (Rank): 10.29 (89%)

Michael Pittman Jr.'s Weekly Outlook

Week 13 Projections
Rec Rec Yds Rec TDs Fantasy Pts
7 75.2 0.4 9.9
Weekly Writeup
Pittman has averaged 10.8 targets, 7.5 catches, 81.2 yards, and 0.33 TDs in his last six games with QB Gardner Minshew. Next up is the Titans' 27th-ranked WR defense.

Rest Of Way Outlook

Rec Rec Yds Rec TDs Fantasy Pts
4.5 58.9 0.5 8.9

Michael Pittman Jr.'s 2023 Projections & Outlook

Scoring

#12 Wide Receiver

142.2 Projected Points

ADP Rec Rec Yds Rec TDs 100 Fum
Not Available 72.3 942.1 8 2.4 0

3D Projections DS 3D Projections

Basic StatsMichael Pittman Jr.'s Preseason Player Analysis

View WR Fantasy Rankings »
Bottom Line

Pittman has been a good player through three seasons. He’s not a target hog but draws enough target share to sit in the high-WR3 to low-WR2 range. It’s tough to get excited about his upside relative to others around him this year, though.

Indy figures to throw less this year than last. That means Pittman will need improved QB play and a deeper aDOT to help boost his efficiency.

We’re not betting on high-level passing efficiency from Anthony Richardson (right away) or Gardner Minshew. So that knocks Pittman down our WR rankings vs. others near him in ADP. You’ll be able to find better options for both floor and ceiling.

What We Learned Last Year
  • Pittman didn’t suffer for volume in last year’s struggling offense. He ranked 16th among WRs in target share, with a number slightly higher than the one that landed him 14th in 2021.
  • He also increased his catch rate for the second straight season, snagging 70.2% of those opportunities to finish 10th in the league in receptions.
  • Poor QB play hurt Pittman’s efficiency, though. He lost 3.0 off his yards per catch (from 12.3 to 9.3) primarily thanks to his average depth of target falling by more than 2 yards.
  • Matt Ryan ranked 28th among QBs in Pro Football Focus passing grade last season. Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles graded out even worse.
  • Despite the career-low aDOT, Pittman also posted a career-low yards after catch per reception, which was also likely affected by the poor QB play.
  • Among 97 WRs who drew 40+ targets, Pittman ranked just 44th in PFF receiving grade and tied for 53rd in yards per route. Those were down from 18th and 19th in 2021.
  • He ranked 26th at the position in targets per route. That matched Pittman’s ranking for 2021.
What to Expect in 2023
  • Indy’s QB play probably won’t get worse in 2023. How much better can it get? We’ll see.
    • The Colts clearly view Anthony Richardson as their future at the position. Opinions vary widely on how soon he should begin that starting run. He split first-team reps with Gardner Minshew right away.
    • Minshew has had promising turns in Jacksonville and Philadelphia. But he couldn’t keep the Jaguars job after starting for most of his rookie season (2019). And he managed only a one-year, $3.5 million deal this offseason in a QB market that found much more money for Taylor Heinicke and Jacoby Brissett.
  • Pittman doesn’t appear to face more competition for targets than last year.
    • Alec Pierce figures to develop further in Year 2 and should do better than tying for 80th among WRs in target share.
    • Indy let Parris Campbell walk for a one-year deal in free agency. The team signed WR Isaiah McKenzie to a small, one-year pact and drafted WR Josh Downs in Round 3. Neither player looks like a threat to Pittman’s numbers for the short or long term.
  • Bet on the Colts passing less than they did in 2022, when they threw at the league’s 10th-highest rate. Winning more than four games this time would shift more plays to runs. Richardson and a healthier Jonathan Taylor will also mean more rushes.
    • Expect that to shave some of Pittman’s target volume.
  • Pittman could make up some of that by working deeper downfield. His aDOTs went longer in each of his first two seasons than last year. And according to PFF, he worked even deeper in college.
    • Pittman’s 8.8-yard aDOT through three NFL seasons sits 4.0 short of his 12.8 career college aDOT.
    • Richardson’s best passing last season came in the deep range. Don’t be surprised if Pittman sees a decline in catch rate but a significant increase in yards per catch.
    • Even Minshew has a career aDOT (8.2) longer than what Matt Ryan posted the past two seasons (7.8 and 6.5).

Adjust Michael Pittman Jr.'s Projections

We'll recalculate this player's Projections (DS Proj/ only) and DMVP based on your opinion of the player. This adjustments will be made for ALL of your leagues on Draft Sharks

Go to My Account to see a full list of your adjustments.

Recent Shark Bites View All Shark Bites »

Michael Pittman Jr., WR IND

5:23pm EST 11/26/23

Michael Pittman tops 100 yards in Week 12 win

Colts WR Michael Pittman racked up 10 catches for 107 yards in the Week 12 win over the Bucs. His 13 targets tied for the team lead and were 31.7% of QB Gardner Minshew's 41 total attempts. Pittman has now averaged 10.8 targets, 7.5 catches, 81.2 yards, and 0.33 TDs in his last six games with Minshew. He has a chance to continue delivering WR1 level production the next three games with plus matchups against the Titans, Bengals, and Steelers.

View all Michael Pittman Jr. Shark Bites »

Colts WR Michael Pittman caught a mid-range pass from Gardner Minshew in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Browns, broke two tackles and took it for a 75-yard go-ahead TD. And thank goodness he did, because Pittman only had one other catch among 5 total targets. That did still account for 21.7% of Minshew's total pass attempts in a game that saw him throw just 23 times. Throw in a matchup with what had been the league's toughest defense coming into the game, and there's nothing to worry about with Pittman's role. Next week holds another non-easy matchup with the Saints.

View all Michael Pittman Jr. Shark Bites »

Colts WR Michael Pittman racked up 9 receptions for 109 yards on 14 targets in Sunday's loss to the Jaguars. He clearly benefited from Gardner Minshew attempting 55 throws in the lopsided loss. But Pittman drew a nice 25.5% target share. He garnered six more looks than his nearest teammate (Josh Downs). It's the fourth time in six games that Pittman has drawn at least 11 targets. That makes him a weekly starter across fantasy formats. Week 7 holds a difficult matchup with the league-best Browns defense, though.

View all Michael Pittman Jr. Shark Bites »

Colts QB Anthony Richardson has been placed on IR with his Grade 3 AC joint sprain. That knocks him out for at least the next four games vs. the Jaguars, Browns, Saints, and Panthers. The rookie is droppable in shallower fantasy leagues without an IR spot. QB Gardner Minshew will step in as Indianapolis' starter for however long Richardson is out. Minshew is a capable veteran who's already registered a 68.7% completion rate with two TDs vs. 0 INTs this season. He might even be a slight upgrade for WRs Michael Pittman and Josh Downs.

View all Anthony Richardson Shark Bites »

Colts rookie WR Josh Downs caught all six of his targets for a team-high 97 yards in Sunday's win over the Titans. Downs actually had two other targets -- one completed, one not -- negated by offensive penalties. He made half of those receptions with each QB, in a game Anthony Richardson left early with a right shoulder injury. Downs remains third among Colts WRs in snaps and routes but continues to easily beat WR Alec Pierce in targets per route. He looks like a decent PPR WR3 for Week 6 at Jacksonville. Tougher matchups with Cleveland and New Orleans sit beyond that. WR Michael Pittman led Downs 7-6 in official targets against Tennessee, posting a 5-52 receiving line. No other Colt caught more than two passes.

View all Josh Downs Shark Bites »

Dynasty Overview View WR Dynasty Rankings »

Michael Pittman Jr., WR IND
Dynasty MVP 119.6
Position Rank #20 WR
3yr Projection
5yr Projection
10yr Projection
381
619
1,081
Dynasty Write-up
Pittman’s 2022 fantasy value dipped alongside a washed-up Matt Ryan. While the USC product might not turn out to be an alpha-type WR1, he can move closer to fantasy WR1 range if Anthony Richardson approaches his ceiling. Just note: Pittman is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
Winning Your League Starts Here Trophy
Why Wouldn’t You Invest
$36 to Win Your League?

Check out thisleague-winning info

2023 Draft Package Now - Sept 15

$39

Get Instant Access
2023 In-Season Package Sept 5 - Mar 7

$39

Get Access Sept. 5
2023 DFS Package Sept 5 - Mar 7

$49

Get Access Sept. 5
Best Value – All Access Pass
DS Insider Membership All 3 Packages

$127 $36

Semi-annual
Get Instant Access
Draft War Room Included Draft War Room Draft War Room Draft War Room Included Draft War Room
Unlimited Live-Draft Sync Included Unlimited Live-Draft Sync Unlimited Live-Draft Sync Unlimited Live-Draft Sync Included Unlimited Live-Draft Sync
Award-Winning Player Rankings Included Award-Winning Player Rankings Award-Winning Player Rankings Award-Winning Player Rankings Included Award-Winning Player Rankings
3D Projections Included 3D Projections 3D Projections 3D Projections Included 3D Projections
In-Depth Player Profiles Included In-Depth Player Profiles In-Depth Player Profiles In-Depth Player Profiles Included In-Depth Player Profiles
Mock Draft Trainer Included Mock Draft Trainer Mock Draft Trainer Mock Draft Trainer Included Mock Draft Trainer
DMVP Trade Values Included DMVP Trade Values DMVP Trade Values DMVP Trade Values Included DMVP Trade Values
The Perfect Draft Included The Perfect Draft The Perfect Draft The Perfect Draft Included The Perfect Draft
Breakout & Comeback Player Included Breakout & Comeback Player Breakout & Comeback Player Breakout & Comeback Player Included Breakout & Comeback Player
Average Draft Position by Scoring Included Average Draft Position by Scoring Average Draft Position by Scoring Average Draft Position by Scoring Included Average Draft Position by Scoring
Scientific Injury Predictor Included Scientific Injury Predictor Scientific Injury Predictor Scientific Injury Predictor Included Scientific Injury Predictor
Insider Sleepers & Busts Included Insider Sleepers & Busts Insider Sleepers & Busts Insider Sleepers & Busts Included Insider Sleepers & Busts
In-Season Weekly Rankings In-Season Weekly Rankings Included In-Season Weekly Rankings In-Season Weekly Rankings Included In-Season Weekly Rankings
“Who Should I Start?” Tool “Who Should I Start?” Tool Included “Who Should I Start?” Tool “Who Should I Start?” Tool Included “Who Should I Start?” Tool
“Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications “Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications Included “Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications “Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications Included “Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications
Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Included Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Included Live-Sync Free Agent Finder
Trade Navigator Trade Navigator Included Trade Navigator Trade Navigator Included Trade Navigator
Player Shares Player Shares Included Player Shares Player Shares Included Player Shares
In-Depth Free Agent Gems In-Depth Free Agent Gems Included In-Depth Free Agent Gems In-Depth Free Agent Gems Included In-Depth Free Agent Gems
Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Included Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Included Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice
Strength-of-Schedule Data Strength-of-Schedule Data Included Strength-of-Schedule Data Strength-of-Schedule Data Included Strength-of-Schedule Data
DFS Lineup Builder DFS Lineup Builder DFS Lineup Builder Included DFS Lineup Builder Included DFS Lineup Builder
DFS Ownership Projections DFS Ownership Projections DFS Ownership Projections Included DFS Ownership Projections Included DFS Ownership Projections
Weekly Top Stacks Weekly Top Stacks Weekly Top Stacks Included Weekly Top Stacks Included Weekly Top Stacks
High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews Included High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews Included High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews
DFS Independent DFS Independent DFS Independent Included DFS Independent Included DFS Independent
Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles
Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates
Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates
To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives
All-Access Draft Sharks App All–Access Draft Sharks App Included All-Access Draft Sharks App Included All-Access Draft Sharks App Included All-Access Draft Sharks App Included All-Access Draft Sharks App
Get Instant Access Get Access Sept 5 Get Access Sept 5 Get Instant Access

Turn your phone into a draft weapon with our FREE APP

Download on the App Store Get It on Google Play