Player news tracker
Pat Freiermuth headshot

Pat Freiermuth fantasy football news and podcast insights

Source-backed player signal from monitored fantasy football podcasts, shows, videos, articles, and social posts.

TEPIT40 insightsLatest Aug 1, 2026
22
Positive signals
3
Negative signals
12
Sources
Aug 1, 2026
Latest update
PositiveBreakoutJul 30, 2026Mattek Fantasy Football
Freiermuth is positioned as a top breakout tight end candidate for 2026 despite poor recent production (never averaged 10 PPR points, only one top-10 week finish last year). The source projects significant role expansion due to offensive changes: Arthur Smith is gone, Jonnu Smith is gone, and new offensive coordinator Brian Angelino (from Minnesota Vikings) and Mike McCarthy will implement a faster-paced, 12-personnel heavy offense. The source expects Freiermuth to run over 70% of routes (vs. limited snap share last year, under 50% in over half his games), match his 2022 yards-per-route-run efficiency, potentially finish as the second red zone target, and benefit from a projected 10-15% increase in total Steelers play volume. Darnell Washington as tight end two and Darnell Bernard's limited route share support Freiermuth's snap rate elevation. The source states Freiermuth is 'free at the end of your drafts' and has 'demonstrated the ability to be an average or above average NFL starter,' making him a buy if you believe in the new offense.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
NegativeRoleJul 28, 2026RotoWire NFL Articles
The NFL's sixth-highest paid tight end ($48.4M total contract value) may see a more consistent full-time role with Jonnu and Arthur Smith out of the picture; however, Mike McCarthy has historically leaned on 11 personnel in most offenses, and extra slot snaps would come at the expense of Germie Bernard and Roman Wilson. Freiermuth finished TE14 (9.9 PPR points per game) last year, and it's tough to project significant target volume in an offense not expected to score heavily.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
NegativeRoleJul 28, 2026RotoWire NFL Articles
The NFL's sixth-highest paid tight end ($48.4 million total contract value) may see a more consistent full-time role with Jonnu and Arthur Smith out of the picture; however, Mike McCarthy has historically leaned on 11 personnel in most offenses, and extra slot snaps would come at the expense of Germie Bernard and Roman Wilson; Freiermuth finished TE14 (9.9 PPR points per game) just one year ago, but it's tough to see many targets in an offense not expected to light up the scoreboard.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
PositiveValueJul 25, 2026Fantasy Football with Ian Hartitz
Pat Freiermuth is a late-round TE dart that Davis Mattek loves; part of his preferred late-round TE strategy where he took Freiermuth, Dalton Schultz, Terrence Ferguson, and Greg Doucet, feeling great about his TE depth. Projected to be within 0.8 PPR points per game of Dalton Schultz. Despite depth chart concerns with Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith, he remains not far removed from a low-end TE1 season two years ago and was drafted in the top 100 picks previously. With Jonnu Smith now gone and a new offensive coordinator (Brian Angelino, a McShanny tree guy) replacing Arthur Smith, Freiermuth has improved circumstances.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
PositiveProjectionJul 23, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain
Freiermuth recorded 486 yards and four touchdowns in 2025 despite playing in all 17 games, marking the second-lowest receiving yardage total of his career. However, he was productive when targeted with a career-best 11.9 yards per reception, and just over half of his catches went for first downs. With Jonnu Smith out of the picture in 2026, Freiermuth should have an easier time claiming the role of the team's top receiving tight end. McCarthy helped jump-start the careers of both Dalton Schultz (808 yards in 2021) and Jake Ferguson (761 yards in 2023) during their time in Dallas, suggesting Freiermuth could see increased usage and a potential career resurgence.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
PositiveProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth is positioned for a career resurgence in 2026 after recording just 486 yards in 2025 despite playing all 17 games; with Jonnu Smith departing, he should claim the role of the team's top receiving tight end without heavy competition. His 11.9 yards per reception in 2025 was a career-best, and he was productive when targeted down the seam. New offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy has a track record of elevating tight end production—Dalton Schultz posted 808 yards in 2021 and Jake Ferguson 761 yards in 2023 during their time in Dallas—suggesting Freiermuth could see increased usage and featured role in the Steelers' 2026 offense.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
NegativeUsageJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth has yet to break or come close to his 732-yard season mark set in 2022 under coordinator Matt Canada. After a solid 653-yard season in 2024, he recorded the second-lowest receiving yardage total of his career in 2025 with 486 yards and four touchdowns, despite playing in all 17 games. This was due to both not always being targeted and playing time — Freiermuth had the Steelers' third-most snaps behind Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
PositiveProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth is positioned for a career resurgence in 2026 after recording just 486 yards in 2025 despite playing all 17 games; with Jonnu Smith departing, he should claim the role of the team's top receiving tight end without heavy competition. His 11.9 yards per reception in 2025 marked a career-best efficiency, and he was productive when targeted down the seam. New offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy has a track record of elevating tight end production—Dalton Schultz posted 808 yards in 2021 and Jake Ferguson 761 yards in 2023 during McCarthy's tenure in Dallas—suggesting Freiermuth could see increased featured usage in the 2026 offense.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
NegativeProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth has yet to break or come close to his 732-yard season mark set in 2022 under coordinator Matt Canada. After a solid 653-yard season in 2024, he recorded the second-lowest receiving yardage total of his career in 2025 with 486 yards and four touchdowns, despite playing in all 17 games. This was due to both limited targeting and playing time, as he had the Steelers' third-most snaps behind Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
PositiveProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth is positioned for a career resurgence in 2026 after recording just 486 yards in 2025 despite playing all 17 games; the departure of Jonnu Smith removes a major competing tight end, and new offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy has a track record of elevating tight end production—he helped Dalton Schultz reach 808 yards in 2021 and Jake Ferguson 761 yards in 2023 in Dallas. Freiermuth showed efficiency when targeted with a career-best 11.9 yards per reception and over half his catches going for first downs, suggesting the role expansion under McCarthy could unlock his seam-route potential that was underutilized in 2025.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
NegativeUsageJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth recorded 486 yards and four touchdowns in 2025 despite playing in all 17 games, the second-lowest receiving yardage total of his career. This was due to both not always being targeted and reduced playing time—Freiermuth had the Steelers' third-most snaps behind Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith. The source notes it's ironic that former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, known for his obsession with using tight ends, didn't use Freiermuth enough in 2025.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
PositiveProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth is positioned for a career resurgence in 2026 after recording just 486 yards in 2025 despite playing all 17 games; with Jonnu Smith departing, he should claim the role of the team's top receiving tight end without heavy competition. He posted a career-best 11.9 yards per reception in 2025 and was productive when targeted down the seam, a route the Steelers underutilized. New offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy has a track record of elevating tight end production—he helped Dalton Schultz reach 808 yards in 2021 and Jake Ferguson 761 yards in 2023 in Dallas—suggesting Freiermuth could see increased featured usage in the 2026 offense.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
NegativeProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth has yet to break or come close to his 732-yard season mark set in 2022 under coordinator Matt Canada. After a solid 653-yard season in 2024, he recorded the second-lowest receiving yardage total of his career in 2025 with 486 yards and four touchdowns despite playing in all 17 games. This was due to both limited targets and playing time, as he had the Steelers' third-most snaps behind Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
PositiveProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth is positioned for a career resurgence in 2026 after recording just 486 yards in 2025 despite playing all 17 games; with Jonnu Smith departing, he should claim the role of the team's top receiving tight end without heavy competition. His 11.9 yards per reception in 2025 was a career-best, and he was productive when targeted down the seam. New offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy has a track record of elevating tight end production—Dalton Schultz posted 808 yards in 2021 and Jake Ferguson 761 yards in 2023 under McCarthy in Dallas—suggesting Freiermuth could see increased usage and featured role in the 2026 offense.
Insight pageSourceOriginal
NegativeProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Freiermuth has yet to break, or even come particularly close to, the 732-yard season mark he set in 2022 under then-coordinator Matt Canada. After a solid 653-yard season in 2024, Freiermuth recorded the second-lowest receiving yardage total of his career last year in a 486-yard, four-touchdown effort, despite playing in all 17 games. This was due in part to him not always being targeted, but also due to playing time — Freiermuth had the Steelers' third-most snaps behind Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith.
Insight pageSourceOriginal