Instant Analysis: Dennis Pitta out for the Season
We said Saturday was bad and we meant it.
Dennis Pitta of the Ravens is also out for the season with a hip injury being reported as both a fracture and a dislocation. It’s a monster blow to the defending champions who have now lost Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Anquan Boldin, Dennis Pitta and a whole host of others from their championship team from last season. Joe Flacco all of a sudden has a monster new contract, but has lost what was likely going to be his favorite target this season. The words “career threatening” and “more than significant” are being thrown out there tonight in regards to Pitta’s hip injury, but we’ll leave the medical analysis to one Dynasty Doctor known as Scott Peak (obvious teaser). Â Let’s instead examine the ramifications for the Ravens and for dynasty enthusiasts.
For Pitta, this is brutally sad. He was on the cusp of becoming a TE1 in leagues and was a chic pick to finish in the top five in scoring this year. After all, Aaron Hernandez was out of the mix at the position, Pitta has improved each of his first three seasons and the Ravens desperately needed him to have a big year. Owners were salivating after seeing him catch three touchdowns in the four Baltimore playoff games last year. Most of his owners felt he was a sure fire “plug and play” option this year, especially with the chain mover in Boldin gone. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be this season. Pitta is an obvious dynasty hold until we can truly understand the injury and the recovery prognosis. “Dr. Peak, paging Dr. Peak.”
As for the Ravens, they’ll likely turn to Ed Dickson. As a dynasty owner, you shouldn’t. Dickson has yet to show much and expecting him to take the place of Pitta would be asking a little too much. Actually, that would be asking a LOT too much. In fact, the Ravens are already rumored to have interest in Visanthe Shiancoe, who hasn’t really had much value since the magical Brett Favre season in Minnesota. If Pitta was your TE1, you’re likely going to need to look outside the Ravens depth chart for a new tight end. On the plus side, there are about 467 with about the same value in dynasty leagues right now. Unfortunately, Pitta was obviously better than all of them.
In other Ravens fallout, Joe Flacco takes a hit with the loss of Pitta, but you shouldn’t have been expecting him to ascend to a QB1 status this year, anyway. One this is certain – he’s going to have to earn his money this year. Torrey Smith’s value shouldn’t really change much here, either. He was already going to get most of the defense’s attention and should still get his. The battle for the second receiver job did just get a little more interesting. With Pitta gone, the winner of that battle could get a few more targets headed their way. Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce have a little more pressure on them now as well.
With the loss of Hernandez and Pitta (for two obviously very different reasons), it’s amazing to see the Patriots and Ravens, two storied NFL franchises, arguably now having two of the worst receiving corps in all of football. It’s truly amazing how fast things can change in the NFL.
Ken is on Twitter at DLF_KenK
