Michael Pittman Jr. is not in a Situation to Thrive This Season

The Colts have the makings of a dangerous offense. RB Jonathan Taylor had 1,431 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns last season. They selected TE Tyle Warren with the 14th pick in the 2025 Draft. They also have a number one wide receiver in Michael Pittman Jr., along with some quality depth behind him. However, Pittman and the rest of their skill players might not reach their full fantasy football potential this season with the question marks the Colts have at quarterback.

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Reduced Workload in 2024

Pittman had a breakout season in 2021, posting 88 receptions for 1,082 yards. He was targeted 129 times, which certainly helped his cause. Pittman then received 141 targets in 2022, which he topped with 156 targets in 2023. In 2023, he set career highs in both receptions (109) and receiving yards (1,152).

While Pittman battled some injuries last season, he still played in 16 games. However, he received only 111 targets, which he turned into 69 receptions for 808 yards. He was neck-and-neck for targets with Josh Downs, who turned 107 targets into 72 receptions and 803 receiving yards. Even Alec Pierce cut into Pittman’s workload, catching 37 of his 69 targets for 824 yards.

Downs turns 24 years old in August and has received at least 98 targets in both of his seasons in the NFL. Pierce is 25 years old and has received at least 65 targets in all three seasons of his career. Both have performed well in their roles, so there is no reason to believe that they will see a significant decline in targets this season. Add Warren into the fold at tight end, and Pittman will have plenty of competition for targets moving forward.

Lack of Touchdowns

Despite plenty of targets going his way early in his career, Pittman has never racked up a lot of touchdowns. He caught six touchdowns in 2021, then four touchdowns in each of the next two seasons. Last season, he reached the end zone just three times.

Part of the problem for Pittman is that the Colts don’t look his way often when they get in close. In 2023, he received a total of 20 targets inside the red zone. Of those targets, three of them came inside the 10-yard line. Pittman saw just 13 red zone targets last season, four of which came inside the 10-yard line.

It’s not as if the Colts are looking to their other wide receivers when they approach the end zone. Downs had 14 red zone targets last season, while Pierce had just six of them. Instead of throwing the ball, they tend to lean heavily on their run game. Last season, Taylor received 58 carries inside the red zone. That included 31 caries inside the 10-yard line. That’s in addition to 20 red zone rushing attempts for QB Anthony Richardson.

With Pittman receiving fewer targets last season and his general lack of touchdowns, he has not been a hot fantasy football commodity. According to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP, Pittman has an ADP of 114, which makes him WR49. That’s behind Downs, who has an ADP of 108 and is WR47.

Colts Quarterback Quandary

Richardson has struggled with accuracy. He completed just 47.7% of his passes last season. In 11 games, he had eight touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. With how often he runs the ball, he has been prone to taking big hits and suffering injuries. Entering training camp, he is battling a shoulder injury that could be an issue heading into Week 1.

With Richardson struggling so much, the Colts brought in QB Daniel Jones to compete at the position. Jones is a good fit for the Colts' system because, like Richardson, he can do plenty of damage with his legs. In 2022, Jones ran for 708 yards and seven touchdowns with the Giants. Even with him being limited to 10 games last season, he turned 67 carries into 265 yards and two touchdowns.

Jones has also dealt with injury issues, playing in a total of 16 games over the last two seasons. He recorded 24 touchdown passes during his rookie season, but has not posted more than 15 passing touchdowns in a season since. Since the start of 2023, he has 10 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see both Richardson and Jones start games for the Colts this season. Regardless of who is under center, they will likely be an inconsistent passer who will receive ample rushing attempts. It’s not an ideal situation for Pittman to bounce back from his disappointing 2024 campaign.

The Bottom Line

• Michael Pittman Jr. had 111 targets last season, which was the first time he had fewer than 129 targets in a season since his rookie campaign.
• Pittman generally doesn’t rack up touchdowns, finishing with four or fewer touchdown receptions in each of the last three seasons.
• The Colts not only bring back Josh Downs and Alec Pierce, but also improved their pass-catching options during the offseason by drafting Tyler Warren at tight end.
• The Colts have two inconsistent quarterbacks in Richardson and Jones. Neither racks up a lot of touchdown passes, and both quarterbacks run the ball a lot.
• According to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP, Pittman has an ADP of 114 and is WR49. Given the other pass-catching options around him, and the underwhelming options at quarterback for the Colts, Pittman is better suited to be a bench WR option for fantasy football managers. Best case scenario, he finishes the season as a WR3.