PatFreiermuth

News: 16 hours agoFreiermuth recorded two receptions for 30 yards on four targets and carried once for one yard in Sunday's 30-27 win over the Bengals.

Spin: Freiermuth took the field for 37 of the Steelers' 62 offensive snaps, with his 60 percent share placing him slightly behind fellow tight end Darnell Washington (47 snaps, 76 percent). The Steelers should continue to make ample use of two-tight-end sets to keep Freiermuth involved in their game plans, but since he doesn't project to see heavy target volume week to week, he'll remain a largely touchdown-dependent fantasy option.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Freiermuth's career trajectory has been quite the head-scratcher, but the bottom line is he is yet to emerge as a consistent fantasy starter. The 2021 second-round pick flirted with TE1 status in both 2022 (11th in fantasy PPG) and 2024 (14th) but saw a dramatic dip in usage in Pittsburgh's crowded tight end room in 2025. Freiermuth posted a career-low 10% target share and finished outside the top 20 at the position in snaps, routes, targets, catches, yards and end zone targets, and 30 tight ends bested his 6.7 fantasy PPG. The 27-year-old figures to play more in 2026 with Jonnu Smith gone and Mike McCarthy running the offense, but Pittsburgh is also better at wide receiver with Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard in the fold. Freiermuth has some sleeper appeal, but he's best valued as a back-end TE2.