Darnell Washington vs Kyle Pitts: Who Should You Start?
There is a real production gap between these two tight ends. Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons) averaged 9.8 PPG over 17 games in 2025, outscoring Darnell Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers, 3.6 PPG) by 6.2 points per week. That separation would need a significant matchup swing to overcome.
The per-game difference of 6.2 points favors Kyle Pitts, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one tight end to the other.
Kyle Pitts is the volume tight end in this matchup with 88 receptions for 928 yards, while Darnell Washington profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 31 catches). In weeks where Darnell Washington finds the end zone he out-scores Kyle Pitts, but the floor gap is real.
One scheduling note: Darnell Washington is off Week 9 and Kyle Pitts Week 12. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
