Pittsburgh Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth’s dynasty value has sputtered after an encouraging rookie season. With one year left on his rookie deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, can he rediscover that form that pushed him into the fantasy football TE1 conversation?
Pat Freiermuth’s Dynasty Outlook
When looking at the top 12 finishers on a per-game basis at the tight end position last season, they all had one of two traits (if not both): a strong athletic profile or stability under center. Which of those do we think Freiermuth has entered in 2024 or will enter soon?
#Steelers QB Kenny Pickett ➡️ Pat Freiermuth for SIX#PFN365 Celly Score: 8️⃣.1️⃣ / 🔟
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 10, 2023
He doesn’t have the physical tools that suggest a true breakout is likely, à la Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride, and with uncertainty under center, the path to consistent fantasy production isn’t a clean one.
At 9.9 yards per catch for his career, Freiermuth requires volume or scores to matter in our game, and that’s a tough sell given the state of this Steelers passing game.
- 2021: seven TDs on 79 targets
- Since: four TDs on 145 targets
Of course, all is not doom and gloom. Freiermuth didn’t drop any of the 47 targets that he earned on 274 routes last season and has caught 69.2% of the passes thrown his way during his three seasons in the NFL.
He is entering the final year of his rookie deal as he enters his age-25 season, a profile that leaves room for future upside, even if Pittsburgh’s offense isn’t one you want to bet on in the short term.
Freiermuth’s Dynasty Ranking
Where does Freiermuth land in the dynasty TE landscape going into the 2024 offseason? Here are Soppe’s latest rankings, featuring where Freiermuth lands in comparison to other top names at the position.
1) Sam LaPorta | DET
2) Trey McBride | ARI
3) George Kittle | SF
4) Mark Andrews | BAL
5) T.J. Hockenson | MIN
6) Evan Engram | JAX
7) Travis Kelce | KC
8) Jake Ferguson | DAL
9) Dalton Kincaid | BUF
10) Kyle Pitts | ATL
11) David Njoku | CLE
12) Dallas Goedert | PHI
13) Michael Mayer | LV
14) Dalton Schultz | HOU
15) Isaiah Likely | BAL
16) Darren Waller | NYG
17) Gerald Everett | LAC
18) Cole Kmet | CHI
19) Luke Musgrave | GB
20) Chigoziem Okonkwo | TEN
21) Greg Dulcich | DEN
22) Pat Freiermuth | PIT
23) Logan Thomas | WAS
24) Juwan Johnson | NO
25) Noah Fant | SEA
26) Taysom Hill | NO
27) Tucker Kraft | GB
28) Hunter Henry | NE
29) Cade Otton | TB
30) Irv Smith Jr. | CIN
31) Jelani Woods | IND
32) Tyler Higbee | LAR
33) Tyler Conklin | NYJ
34) Dawson Knox | BUF
35) Hayden Hurst | CAR
36) Mike Gesicki | NE
37) Brevin Jordan | HOU
38) Darnell Washington | PIT
39) Luke Schoonmaker | DAL
40) Donald Parham Jr. | LAC
41) Daniel Bellinger | NYG
42) Austin Hooper | LV
43) Jonnu Smith | ATL
44) Albert Okwuegbunam | PHI
45) Zach Ertz | DET
46) Adam Trautman | DEN
47) Noah Gray | KC
48) Mo Alie-Cox | IND
49) Robert Tonyan | CHI
50) Foster Moreau | NO
Should You Trade Freiermuth in Dynasty?
Are you considering trading Freiermuth? Our free PFN Trade Analyzer allows you to find the best trade offer to make in seconds!
Why am I down on Freiermuth, and why would I be more likely to deal him away than target him in a trade? Without a stable offense there to elevate his floor or enhance his role, you have to be really sold on him as an above-average pass-catching talent, and he has done little to prove himself as such up to this point (44 career games).
At the end of the day, Freiermuth is an offense-dependent option playing for a unit that is spinning its wheels.
- 2021: 25.3% of targets came in the red zone
- 2022-23: 11% of targets came in the red zone
- 2021: 16.7% of his routes came in the red zone
- 2022-23: 10% of his routes came in the red zone
He is a good player who is capable of thriving in a perfect situation, but he is not the type of tight end who can overcome limitations around him and elevate above them. His age and expiring deal make him a stash option if you have the big picture more in mind than competing in 2024, but even then, there are no certainties.
At best, Freiermuth is a last-minute add to a deal that is close to being completed. If you’re acquiring the former Penn State Nittany Lion, you’re banking on him moving on from Pittsburgh heading into the 2025 season in favor of a ready-made situation that needs him to fill a specific chain-moving role. If you’re moving on from him, you’ve labeled 2024 as a potential championship year for you, thus making every roster spot valuable.
KEEP READING: Fantasy Football Best Ball Strategy
For me, the risks outweigh the rewards, and thus, I’m selling my shares if I have the opportunity to do so this offseason.
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