Michael Pittman Jr. Fantasy Stats

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. will get a fresh start in 2026 following an offseason trade. Dealt from the Colts to the Steelers, Pittman will slot in as a starting wide receiver opposite DK Metcalf next year. He offers a major upgrade for the Steelers, who endured a rough season of Calvin Austin III as their No. 2 receiver last year. Pittman was impressive when quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) was healthy, averaging 11.4 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) and ranking as the overall WR8. However, his production took a hit when Jones was ruled out for the season. Therein lies the biggest question mark for Pittman in 2026. We still don't know who his quarterback will be in Pittsburgh. An Aaron Rodgers return seems probable, but nothing is imminent. Assuming Rodgers does return to the Steelers, he could support top-25 finishes from both Metcalf and Pittman. We're encouraged by Pittman's new opportunity, as the Steelers' decision to trade for him shows how much they want to get him involved on offense. He currently ranks as the WR52 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, so managers who have higher expectations could opt to buy low on Pittman this offseason.

Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. finished the 2025 season valued as a low-end WR3 in consensus dynasty rankings, but since the offseason trade that moved him from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh, he has fallen to the low WR4 range. Pittman will be viewed by most as the clear second option behind D.K. Metcalf in a Steelers offense whose current quarterback situation would have to be graded as incomplete, so the dip is understandable, but he will still play the entirety of the 2026 season before turning 30, and he has finished as the WR23 or better in four of the past five seasons. He has become a go-to option for a revolving door of Colts quarterbacks by being a big-bodied target who runs precise routes and is rarely out of place against zone coverage. Whether his next signal caller is an unproven first-round rookie or a surly veteran who expects things to be done in a very particular way, nothing about Pittman's game suggests he will not continue to be a reliable target-earner.

The Athletic's Mike DeFabo believes that newly acquired wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., a player with good size (6-foot-4, 223 pounds), physicality, and pedigree, will be a good fit with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If the Steelers re-sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer "seems to prefer veterans who understand the nuances of route running, how to read coverages and what it takes to prepare for an opponent." Pittman, who should slot in as the No. 2 behind DK Metcalf, "checks a lot of those boxes." The 28-year-old will receive a new three-year, $59 million contract with the Steelers after being acquired from the Indianapolis Colts on Monday. Pittman did lead the Colts with 80 catches last year and had a career-best seven touchdowns, but his yardage total (784) was down for a second straight season. His 2026 fantasy value hinges on whether Rodgers returns for another season in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are acquiring wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts on Monday in exchange for a late-round pick, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The Colts deemed Pittman expendable after re-signing Alec Pierce to a four-year deal on Monday. The 28-year-old former second-round pick in 2020 out of USC took another step back in 2025 in his sixth year in the NFL with an 80-784-7 line on 111 targets over 17 games played. Pittman does have two 1,000-yard seasons in his career, but expecting a third in 2026 in Pittsburgh probably isn't wise for fantasy managers, especially when considering the unknown quarterback situation in the Steel City. It's the second straight year Pittsburgh has traded for a wideout -- last year, they landed DK Metcalf from Seattle. In his new digs, Pittman will most likely operate as the WR2 behind Metcalf.

There have been rumblings that the Indianapolis Colts will release wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. this offseason to free up salary cap space, but it doesn't sound like a foregone conclusion. "Pure hypothetical (Michael Pittman Jr.) won't be here," general manager Chris Ballard said at the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday. Pittman did have a career-high seven touchdowns in 17 games in 2025 in his sixth year in the league, but his 784 receiving yards were his fewest since his rookie year in 2020. His 2026 fantasy value will hinge on where he's playing in the upcoming season. If the Colts restructure his contract and also re-sign Alec Pierce, Pittman will be more of a WR3/flex. The best-case scenario would be staying in Indy and having Pierce leave in free agency. The Colts have a lot of balls up in the air this offseason, but it sounds like they prefer to keep Pittman, if possible.

Indianapolis wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. carries an expected $29 million salary cap hit into 2026, but the Colts could clear all but $5 million by cutting him before the new league year. With Alec Pierce coming off his first 1,000-yard campaign and set for unrestricted free agency, the belief around Indianapolis is that the team will prioritize him over the 28-year-old Pittman. With the 12-plus games played by Daniel Jones before his season-ending Achilles injury arguably representing the pinnacle of quarterback play that Pittman has seen in his six-year career, the always steady, but never explosive, receiver could still have more to show. While he's never come close to delivering on his former top-ten dynasty ranking, his value could once again spike if he lands in the right situation.

The Athletic's James Boyd writes that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. sits atop the list of potential big names that the Colts could part with this offseason due to salary considerations, mutual decision, or poor performance. Pittman pretty much admitted after the season finale in Week 18 that he could have played his last game with the team. He has a $29 million salary cap hit in 2026, but the Colts would clear $24 million in cap space with only $5 million in dead money if they release him. Boyd thinks Pittman will either have to restructure his contract with Indy or play elsewhere next season. The sense is that Pittman doesn't want to leave, but Alec Pierce took over as the Colts' top wideout in 2025, with Pittman catching 80 passes for 784 yards (second-fewest of his career), although he did have a career-high seven touchdowns.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (calf) was able to return to Sunday's AFC South clash against the Jacksonville Jaguars after being designated as questionable. The veteran caught one of his two targets before leaving the game with discomfort in his leg, but he returned later in the first half. Pittman quickly developed chemistry with starter Daniel Jones (Achilles), which led to eight top-25 finishes among PPR receivers in the first 13 games of the season, but he has taken a backseat in the weeks since Jones was lost for the year. From a fantasy perspective, he's difficult to rely upon with the Colts playing out the string.

Across 15 games this season, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. has recorded 76 receptions for 757 yards and seven touchdowns on 104 targets. However, Pittman Jr.'s production has fallen off since Philip Rivers took over for Daniel Jones (Achilles) as the starting quarterback in Indianapolis. Across his last two games, Pittman Jr. has recorded seven catches for 58 yards on 10 targets. His touchdown production has also dried up over the second half of the season, as he has just one end zone grab since Week 8. In Week 17, Pittman Jr. will face a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that has been susceptible to allowing production through the air. The Jaguars enter the week ranked 18th in the NFL in total passing yards allowed (3,492) and 27th in passing touchdowns allowed (26). Pittman Jr. played well in his first matchup of the season against Jacksonville, hauling in nine catches for 79 yards on 12 targets. Pittman Jr.'s lack of explosive ability limits his production upside, but he profiles as a solid fantasy WR3 in Week 17.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.'s fantasy value takes a modest slide ahead of his clash with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. For the most part, the USC product has been a stellar fantasy asset in 2025, working his way to a current WR13 standing in PPR formats. However, Pittman's viability becomes murkier with 44-year-old Philip Rivers calling signals for the Colts. In Rivers' first action in nearly half a decade in Week 15, Indianapolis fell 18-16 to Seattle. While the QB was efficient, he failed to push the ball downfield and evenly distributed his pass attempts, targeting four pass-catchers at least five times. Unfortunately, a wideout like Pittman, who thrives on volume, may find it challenging to produce at the level that fantasy managers had become accustomed to over the majority of the season. The offense may adapt and evolve as Rivers continues to shake off the rust, but all Colts' skill players take a fantasy hit in the meantime. As for Pittman, he'll rank as RotoBaller's PPR WR37 for Monday's contest.