Freiermuth hasn't seen a boost in two games with Russell Wilson, and now Freiermuth has to contend with another mouth to feed in Pittsburgh with the addition of Mike Williams via trade from the Jets. In two games since Wilson took over as the starter, Freiermuth has four catches for 70 yards and no touchdowns, and he hasn't scored since Week 5. He also has only eight targets in his past three games. I'd like to see things change for Freiermuth coming off the bye in Week 9, but for now keep him reserved in the majority of leagues.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Held in check Monday
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Freiermuth secured both of his targets for 19 yards during Monday's 26-18 win over the Giants.
Freiermuth tallied 51 receiving yards in Week 7, his first time catching passes from Russell Wilson, but he had less success the next game and was held under 20 receiving yards for just the second time this season. Freiermuth recorded multiple receptions in each of the first eight games of the season, but he's been held to just two touchdowns and has failed to top 25 receiving yards in three of the last four contests. The 26-year-old has secured 26 of 31 targets for 264 yards and two touchdowns over the first eight games of the season.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: TEs to Sit
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The Giants have yet to allow a tight end to score a touchdown this year, and Freiermuth is only worth starting in deeper leagues. He got going a little bit in Week 7 against the Jets in his first game with Russell Wilson, but it was still just two catches for 51 yards on three targets. Until Freiermuth starts getting more volume from Wilson you can keep him reserved in most leagues.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Gains 51 yards in SNF win
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Freiermuth brought in two of three targets for 51 yards in Sunday's 37-15 win over the Jets.
Freiermuth finished second in receiving for the Steelers behind star wideout George Pickens (5-111-1). The 25-year-old Freiermuth did most of his damage on a 44-yard reception from new starting quarterback Russell Wilson in the lopsided victory. The starting tight end had topped 50 yards in receiving just once during interim starter Justin Fields' six starts this season. The change at quarterback in Pittsburgh could spark an upward trend in Freiermuth's fantasy value heading into a Week 8 matchup against the Giants.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: TEs to Sit
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I'm curious to see how Freiermuth does with Russell Wilson now starting at quarterback for the Steelers, and hopefully, that helps Freiermuth moving forward this year. But I don't want to start Freiermuth in Week 7 against the Jets. They have allowed just one touchdown to a tight end this season, which was Week 6 against Dawson Knox, and only one tight end has scored more than 8.1 PPR points against New York this year. Keep an eye on Freiermuth with Wilson, but also keep Freiermuth on your bench in Week 7.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Touchdown wiped away
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Freiermuth recorded two receptions on three targets for 16 yards in Sunday's 32-13 win over the Raiders.
Justin Fields threw for only 145 yards, so it should come as no surprise that the Steelers' pass catchers had very little production. Freiermuth appeared to be an exception as he hauled in a 14-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, only for it to be wiped away after it was determined that Fields had crossed the line of scrimmage before releasing the ball. Freiermuth is difficult to trust on a weekly basis due to Pittsburgh's poor passing offense, but he has been a regular red-zone target.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Cleared to face Raiders
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Freiermuth (calf) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Raiders.
Freiermuth upgraded to full practice participation Friday after being listed as limited Thursday. He'll continue to work as Pittsburgh's top tight end and will try to extend his touchdown streak to three games Sunday.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Limited by calf injury
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Freiermuth was a limited practice participant Wednesday due to a calf injury, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
It's a new addition to the injury report after Freiermuth wasn't listed Wednesday. An absence from practice Friday would hint at at a significant mid-week injury, whereas even limited participation likely would put the tight end on track to play this Sunday at Las Vegas.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: TEs to Start
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Freiermuth scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 4 at the Colts with five catches for 57 yards on seven targets. He's scored at least 7.3 PPR points in three games in a row, and he has the potential to be a low-end starter in all leagues this week. Dallas hasn't allowed a tight end to score a touchdown this season, including matchups with David Njoku, Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, but the Cowboys pass rush could be without Micah Parsons (ankle) and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot). This could be a quality outing for Freiermuth in Week 5.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Tallies first touchdown
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Freiermuth recorded five receptions on seven targets for 57 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Colts.
Freiermuth was one of the few things the Pittsburgh offense had going in the first half, as he led the team in targets and yards. Though his usage faded in the final two quarters, this was still a promising performance for him as he managed both his first catch of 20 or more yards and touchdown of the season. Though it hadn't led to significant fantasy success prior to Sunday's matchup, Freiermuth has a clear role in the Pittsburgh offense, as he now has at least four catches in all four games on the campaign.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Racks up four catches in win
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Freiermuth secured four of five targets for 33 yards during Sunday's 20-10 win over the Chargers.
Freiermuth has recorded four catches in each of his first three appearances this season, but he hasn't logged more than 40 receiving yards in any of those games. His 7.6 yards per target to begin the year is the best mark of his career, but his 8.3 yards per catch are tied for his lowest mark since his rookie season in 2021. While the Steelers' offense has largely struggled to begin the year, it's been encouraging to see Freiermuth carve out a consistent target share.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Tallies four catches
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Freiermuth recorded four receptions on four targets for 39 yards in Sunday's 13-6 win over Denver.
The Steelers ran a very conservative offense in the win, leaving Freiermith as the team's leader in receptions and yards. His longest gain of the day went for 14 yards midway through the first quarter, a catch that set up the only touchdown of the game for either team. Preseason concerns about a diminished role in the offense for Freiermuth appear unfounded through two games, but the lack of aggression has limited the potential of all of Pittsburgh's pass catchers.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Sleeper TEs
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Freiermuth only had four catches for 27 yards on four targets in Week 1 at Atlanta, but Justin Fields only attempted 23 passes. Freiermuth was second on the Steelers in targets behind George Pickens (seven), and Pickens could be in trouble in Week 2 at Denver thanks to Patrick Surtain Jr. That could make Freiermuth a popular option for Fields, and Freiermuth should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Freiermuth only had four catches for 27 yards on four targets in Week 1 at Atlanta, but Justin Fields only attempted 23 passes. Freiermuth was second on the Steelers in targets behind George Pickens (seven), and Pickens could be in trouble in Week 2 at Denver thanks to Patrick Surtain Jr. That could make Freiermuth a popular option for Fields, and Freiermuth should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Sleeper TEs
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We haven't seen much from Freiermuth in the preseason, but I'm hopeful that all of the offseason buzz we got about Freiermuth and Russell Wilson starts to show this week now that Wilson is healthy from the calf injury that sidelined him in training camp. Arthur Smith loves using his tight ends, and Freiermuth should be the primary receiving threat at the position for the Steelers. He's worth using as a streamer against the Falcons, who last year allowed the sixth-most Fantasy points to opposing tight ends.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Lands four-year extension
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Freiermuth signed a four-year, $48.4 million contract extension with the Steelers on Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
This move confirms recent rumblings that Pittsburgh was trying to get Freiermuth extended before the start of the regular season. Freiermuth is locked in through the end of the 2028 season, as the extension will kick in after the fourth and final year of his rookie contract wraps up in 2024. The 2021 second-round draft pick is looking to bounce back under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, starting with Sunday's game against the Falcons, after posting a career-low 308 receiving yards in the 2023 regular season.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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We haven't seen much from Freiermuth in the preseason, but I'm hopeful that all of the offseason buzz we got about Freiermuth and Russell Wilson starts to show this week now that Wilson is healthy from the calf injury that sidelined him in training camp. Arthur Smith loves using his tight ends, and Freiermuth should be the primary receiving threat at the position for the Steelers. He's worth using as a streamer against the Falcons, who last year allowed the sixth-most Fantasy points to opposing tight ends.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Another quiet game
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Freiermuth recorded one reception (on one target) for 10 yards in Saturday's 9-3 preseason loss to the Bills.
Freiermuth made his lone catch on Pittsburgh's second possession, as he was hit in the right flat by Russell Wilson for a modest gain. Though Freiermuth has had limited production in two preseason games, he currently has a strong chance to be the second-most targeted pass catcher in the offense come the regular season.
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Hoping to re-sign long term
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Freiermuth said Wednesday on the Around the 412 Podcast that he wants to stay in Pittsburgh for the rest of his career, per Chris Ward of Steelers Now.
The tight end is in a contract year, following a down 2023 season in which a hamstring injury cost him five games and may have limited his playing time in a few others. He caught nine passes for 120 yards in a Week 12 win over the Bengals and had five catches for 76 yards in a playoff loss to Buffalo, but otherwise Freiermuth had just 23 receptions for 188 yards and two TDs in 11 appearances. He was far more active in the passing game as a rookie (60-497-7) and again in 2022 (63-732-2), and he could be Option B behind WR George Pickens in 2024 after the Steelers hired OC Arthur Smith and traded WR Diontae Johnson to the Panthers. While Smith figures to prioritize the running game, his affinity for multi-TE formations could put Freiermuth in a near-every-down role for the first time (he averaged 42.7 snaps per game in 2021, 46.4 in 2022 and 39.5 in 2023).
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Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Productive in season-ending defeat
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Freiermuth brought in five of eight targets for 76 yards in the Steelers' 31-17 wild-card loss to the Bills on Monday afternoon. He also fumbled once but did not give up possession.
Freiermuth was the surprise leader in receiving yards and also shared the team lead in receptions for the Steelers, with Mason Rudolph frequently turning to the big tight end for quick-hitting passes. Freiermuth also boasted the longest catch of the day for Pittsburgh, a 33-yard first-quarter grab that ended with the third-year pro fumbling the ball and seeing it seemingly recovered by the Bills' Christian Benford (knee), only to have both the on-field and replay officials rule that Benford didn't secure possession inbounds. Freiermuth was significantly less involved as a receiver across his 12 regular-season games in 2023 after recording at least 60 catches in his first two campaigns, posting a 32-308-2 line on 47 targets. However, Freiermuth finished the campaign with a 23-248-0 tally over the final seven regular-season contests, a span that notably began with the first game following offensive coordinator Matt Canada's firing.