Brenton Strange or Kyle Pitts Sr.: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Pitts gets the edge on talent despite the Week 1 volume warning

Pitts is the better start because his TE7 profile and Atlanta's stronger scoring environment offer more ceiling, even though his Week 1 usage makes the call uncomfortable. Strange has the steadier case, with an ascending role and more snaps, but TE19 status and a middling Denver matchup leave less room for a difference-making outing. The real risk is Pitts repeating the one-target role that produced a shutout last week (Steelers.com 2026-09-14).

What flips it: A second straight week of Pitts being a peripheral target.

Sources: Steelers.com · Sep 14, 2026

AI editor

Brenton Strange

Brenton Strange

TE19JAXvs DEN

Projected Points

Sit
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Kyle Pitts Sr.

TE7ATLvs CAR

Projected Points

Toss-Up· medium

Brenton Strange’s market

REC
O/U 3.5
-101 / -126
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 32.5
-114 / -114
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+275
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Kyle Pitts Sr.’s market

ATD
Anytime TD
+380
Anytime Touchdown Props →
JAX@
DENSun, Sep 20, 4:05 PM ETView the game →
CAR@
ATLSun, Sep 20, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

Why Brenton Strange

Sit

Starting TE and ascending pass-catcher. Athletic seam target with adequate in-line blocking.

Sit — bench-tier TE at consensus TE19: DEN is the 11th-toughest matchup vs TEs, 14% target share.

  • Strange's ascending seam role gives him a plausible floor if Jacksonville needs short-area volume.
  • His heavier snap workload supports steadier involvement than Pitts showed in Week 1.

Why Kyle Pitts Sr.

Toss-Up· medium

TE1 and vertical seam threat. Rare size-speed mismatch profile with high-volume target share in the passing game.

TE7 on paper at 11.1 projected, but a 5% target share and a zero-catch Week 1 on one look make Pitts a bet on volume that hasn't shown up.

  • Pitts' rare size-speed profile can turn restored involvement into a tight-end difference-maker.
  • Atlanta's favorable scoring setup gives his downfield role more touchdown equity than Strange's.

The call

  • The projection (11.1, TE7) and a near-even game — Atlanta -1.5, 23.0 implied total — say playable, but that number is built on reputation more than 2026 usage.
  • Role red flag: 63% snap share with just a 5% target share, and Steelers.com noted he was "targeted just once by Cooper Rush and finishing with zero catches" in Week 1.
  • Matchup is neutral at best — Carolina grades 13 of 32 vs the position (softest = 32), and that's a 1-game sample with 0.00 confidence, so there's no soft-spot bonus to lean on.
  • Tip it to start if he draws early-down and red-zone looks with Rush under center; if you have any top-12 TE with a defined target share, play that instead this week.

Latest on Pitts

Role

Kyle Pitts was shut out entirely in Week 1, targeted just once by Cooper Rush and finishing with zero catches as the Steelers defense effectively limited Atlanta's top two pass-catching options behind Robinson.

Steelers.com · Sep 14, 2026
Fantasy buzz: Pats' Stevenson rises with Henderson out, Cards list Love as RB2

TreVeyon Henderson won't suit up on Wednesday, leaving most of the backfield work for Rhamondre Stevenson.

ESPN · Sep 9, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricBrenton StrangeKyle Pitts Sr.
Projected points
Consensus rankTE19TE7
Opponent vs positionDEN · 11 of 321-game sampleCAR · 13 of 321-game sample
Receptions14 of 322 of 32
Receiving Yards25 of 3214 of 32
Receiving TDs1 of 3221 of 32
Targets15 of 326 of 32
Anytime TD1 of 3220 of 32
Target share14%5%
Reception share11%0%
Implied total · spread20.5+2.523.0-1.5
Depth chartTE1TE1
Snap share68%63%
Start/Sit record—0–1+1 toss-up

Recent form

Brenton Strange — last 1 week

Week 1vs CLE

Kyle Pitts Sr. — last 1 week

Week 1vs PIT

Signal breakdown

  • 8.0 vs 11.2 projected PPR pointsKyle Pitts Sr. +
  • Rank 19 vs 7Kyle Pitts Sr. +
  • Opponent DvP rank 11 vs 13 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 20.5 vs 23.0 team pointsKyle Pitts Sr. +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 68% vs 63% snap shareBrenton Strange +

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