Chase vs. Pitts

[Spider-Dan]

Suppose the first 4 picks are QBs and CIN takes Sewell, leaving all skill position players available for the taking.  It seems like the majority of posters have Chase as their #1 WR option.  So what do you think of taking a top-flight WR vs. a top-flight TE?

Best case scenario, I frame this choice as Julio Jones vs. Travis Kelce; in that scenario, I'd rather have Jones.  I think QB-WR is a better combo for long-term success than QB-TE.  Historically, a great TE (e.g. Gronk, Kelce) only wins when they have the best QB in the league throwing to them, while there are countless other great TEs (e.g. Winslow, Gonzalez, Gates) who never even played in a Super Bowl.

I think Gesicki is a capable TE who still has room to grow, and Fuller is too brittle to be a long-term option.  Parker has value, but he's just not a #1.  If the best receiver on your team is a TE, your QB needs to outplay the opponent's QB every game.  I don't like that win condition.

[EDGECRUSHER]

All excellent points. Fuller is on a one year and next year the same free agent WR class will be available again. Why pay top dollar when you can draft one for relatively cheap the next 5 years? That being said, is Pitts really a Tight End or just a WR who plays Tight End? I see lots of conflicting stuff on him.

Might not matter though because the Falcons redid Ryan's contract and he is basically unable to be moved the next 2 years because of hit unless they want like a $50 Million dead money hit. So, I don't think they draft a QB now. They either take one of the skillset players or trade the pick to a QB needy team. If they use it on Sewell, then the Bengals probably take Chase. Any other OT would be a reach.

I won't be sad if we draft either of those guys though.

[Tenshot13]

I think you can find another WR that is comparable but maybe not quite as good as the big 3 WRs later in the draft, however, you won't find anyone nearly as comparable to Pitts later in the draft.  Plus I'm a Pitts Stan.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I like TEs.  And as for the claim an elite TE won’t win the SB without a top notch QB, name some superbowl winning WRs that didn’t have a solid QB. 

[Sunstroke]

If it was my call...and both were available, I really think I would go with Pitts at this point. I think you can get a great WR in a lot of different places. TEs, on the other hand...good luck getting an elite one of those.

For what it's worth (not much, really), my 20-team Dynasty league squad Blunt Force Trauma has it's first top-10 draft pick in 6 years (#7 overall) and it is a QB-driven league. I just lost two of my 3 QBs (Brees, Rivers), and my TE (Olsen) to retirement. Even if one of the top-4 QBs makes it to me, Pitts will still be the top player on my draft board.

[Pappy13]

You can't just look at a comparison of the 2 players you have to consider the offense that is going to be run. In my opinion with Tua his strength is the RPO. To make that workable the run has to be viable. If it's not then Tua doesn't scare teams and a great WR really isn't going to change that. In my opinion for that situation Pitts works better for the Dolphins. I know he's not a strong blocker but he's a capable blocker and Gesicki is getting better. He's also not a strong blocker but still with both of them on the field they can block better then any WR's the Dolphins will employ in my opinion. A 2 TE package makes the run the best threat we have while at the same time still allowing 5 potential pass catchers on the field. That leaves the defense in a very tough predicament. Try to cover all those pass catcher with 4 DB's or go to a 5 or 6 DB package. With 5 or 6 DB's you should be able to run the ball on that defense even with Gesicki and Pitts blocking. If they stick with their normal 4 DB's, good luck trying to cover everyone. Someone is going to be overmatched and the QB just has to find the mismatch and deliver an accurate pass which is perfect for Tua.

Now all of this is pure hypothetical, but in my opinion that's what you are trying to do, create mismatches and take advantage of the mismatch. I don't really think a DB on a WR is a mismatch no matter who the WR is especially given if it's the best DB the team has and at the same time a 2 TE set gives your run game a better chance to succeed. Not much, but a better chance and it forces the defense to match your set or get caught in the wrong defensive set for your offensive personnel. I think that has a better chance at succeeding looking at Miami's roster.

For what it's worth I still think Preston Williams could end up being the best WR that Miami has if he can stay healthy. I've been impressed with him when he plays.

[Spider-Dan]

I like TEs.  And as for the claim an elite TE won’t win the SB without a top notch QB, name some superbowl winning WRs that didn’t have a solid QB.  

Tony Romo was a "solid" QB.  Philip Rivers was a "solid" QB.  Neither one of them have been Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes, which is why Jason Witten and Antonio Gates have never even played in a Super Bowl.

And while it's true that the SB winner is almost always a top 3 QB in the league, you don't nearly need that to at least play in a SB.  If you look at NFL.com's top 35 WRs of all-time, of the receivers that started their careers post-merger, only 4 never played in a SB (Largent, C.Carter, A.Johnson, Megatron).

I just don't think an elite TE makes that much of a difference.  If you have an All-Pro QB, you won't need an elite TE, and if you don't have an All-Pro QB, an elite TE is not going to make the difference an elite WR can.

[Downunder Dolphan]

I am all for picking the best receiver be it WR or TE with our first, but my gut feeling is just maybe Michah Parsons could be in play too.

#6 is not seen as a big a reach as #3, plus we got an extra future first round pick to move down just three spots.

Either way, I see the deal for us as a big win - we get an additional future first, while we will still probably get one of the top prospects at all of receiver, linebacker and running back with our first three picks.

[Sunstroke]

I just don't think an elite TE makes that much of a difference.  If you have an All-Pro QB, you won't need an elite TE, and if you don't have an All-Pro QB, an elite TE is not going to make the difference an elite WR can.

Two spots where I disagree with you:

1) when you split them both into separate groups. Just count all of them as "pass catchers." When I do that, I have Pitts above Chase.

2) When you start referring to the likelihood of making a Super Bowl for either an elite TE or elite WR. If you want to win a Super Bowl, you build the best team possible. Whether that "best team possible" includes an elite WR or an elite TE...either one will work, if the team as a whole is good enough.

Kyle Pitts is a mismatch nightmare every time he steps on the field, and as a red-zone target, he is in a class of his own.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Two spots where I disagree with you:

1) when you split them both into separate groups. Just count all of them as "pass catchers." When I do that, I have Pitts above Chase.

2) When you start referring to the likelihood of making a Super Bowl for either an elite TE or elite WR. If you want to win a Super Bowl, you build the best team possible. Whether that "best team possible" includes an elite WR or an elite TE...either one will work, if the team as a whole is good enough.

Kyle Pitts is a mismatch nightmare every time he steps on the field, and as a red-zone target, he is in a class of his own.

Yeah, I've warmed to Pitts very quickly (especially after we got Fuller) if he ends up being our first pick. An elite receiver and a constant end zone threat sounds exactly like what Tua needs.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Kyle Pitts is a mismatch nightmare every time he steps on the field, and as a red-zone target, he is in a class of his own.

Between Pitts and Chase, who has more catches or yards in a full season for Miami? Whoever it is, pick that guy. I am leaning toward Pitts because we can get another WR in the later rounds or even next year's free agency class. When can we get a TE like this again? Pair him with Gesicki who I like and it could be real trouble for opposing defenses.

[Sunstroke]

Between Pitts and Chase, who has more catches or yards in a full season for Miami?

There's an easy answer...whoever the QB throws it to more.

[Dolphster]

Since WR and TE are two very different positions, I don't know that there is a 100% accurate way to compare players from the two positions.  So this is just my opinion and not something I'm trying to call an indisputable fact.  But for me, the WR position in general has a greater capacity to impact a game than the TE position.  Most people would agree that there are two "game changer" Tight Ends currently in the NFL.  George Kittle and Travis Kelce.  But we could easily name at least a dozen "game changer" Wide Receivers.  My opinion is that the discrepancy lies in the fact that an offense can do a lot more with a WR than a TE.  Move them around to exploit weaknesses, etc.  Whereas the TE position has a lot less capacity for creativity and exploiting defensive weaknesses.  So even if we say that Chase and Pitts are of equal talent at their respective positions, I would rather see the Dolphins take Chase because I think he is going to be a bigger asset to the Dolphins offense than Pitts will simply because his being a WR will give more opportunity for impact plays than a TE will.   

[Sunstroke]

Since WR and TE are two very different positions, I don't know that there is a 100% accurate way to compare players from the two positions.  So this is just my opinion and not something I'm trying to call an indisputable fact.  But for me, the WR position in general has a greater capacity to impact a game than the TE position.  Most people would agree that there are two "game changer" Tight Ends currently in the NFL.  George Kittle and Travis Kelce.  But we could easily name at least a dozen "game changer" Wide Receivers.  My opinion is that the discrepancy lies in the fact that an offense can do a lot more with a WR than a TE.  Move them around to exploit weaknesses, etc.  Whereas the TE position has a lot less capacity for creativity and exploiting defensive weaknesses.  So even if we say that Chase and Pitts are of equal talent at their respective positions, I would rather see the Dolphins take Chase because I think he is going to be a bigger asset to the Dolphins offense than Pitts will simply because his being a WR will give more opportunity for impact plays than a TE will.   

Rare that we disagree on anything, but the way that Pitts was used by the Gators was the epitome  of versatility. A snippet about Pitts from a beat writer for the Giants, who are hoping to land Pitts... You can read similar comments from virtually everyone who has scouted Pitts.

"Versatility was on display at Florida, too; he was frequently split out wide, was the backside receiver on a lot of 3x1 sets, and his route tree was extensive in Dan Mullen’s offense.  He was also used inline, in the slot, as an H-Back, and was frequently utilized in motion to help Florida’s offense gain an edge on the defense."

[Dolphster]

Rare that we disagree on anything, but the way that Pitts was used by the Gators was the epitome  of versatility. A snippet about Pitts from a beat writer for the Giants, who are hoping to land Pitts... You can read similar comments from virtually everyone who has scouted Pitts.

"Versatility was on display at Florida, too; he was frequently split out wide, was the backside receiver on a lot of 3x1 sets, and his route tree was extensive in Dan Mullen’s offense.  He was also used inline, in the slot, as an H-Back, and was frequently utilized in motion to help Florida’s offense gain an edge on the defense."

You could very well be right.  I honestly didn't follow Pitts as closely as I did the WRs in college last  year.  So I will defer to you on this one.  I still think I'd rather go Chase than Pitts because I think the WR position can impact the game more.  But I wouldn't shed any tears if they went with Pitts.  PS, I may be slightly biased against Pitts since he is a Gator and I'm a Hurricanes fan.  LOL