Kevin Szafraniec argued Pat Freiermuth is flat-out mispriced at his current TE27 ADP. He expects the Steelers to feature two-tight-end looks similar to Atlanta’s 2023 usage, but emphasized that Freiermuth—not teammate Smith—is still positioned to command the most targets on the roster. Szafraniec views him as the cheapest way to buy target volume in Pittsburgh and warned that passing on him often forces drafters into ugly reaches later. In his words, Freiermuth has legitimate ‘most-targets-on-the-team’ upside yet costs a back-of-the-16th-round pick, making him one of the better structural fits for drafters who already grabbed elite options but still want weekly spike potential.

Pat Kerrane reminded drafters that Pat Freiermuth is now “completely free,” yet we already know he’s good in real life. The downside is that Arthur Smith plus Mike Tomlin likely means fewer total drop-backs than Cleveland, and Freiermuth still won’t run every route. Even so, Kerrane likes him as the upside half of a punt-TE room: you are betting on proven talent rather than sheer playing time, hoping efficiency offsets limited snaps. He recommends pairing Freiermuth with one of the pure-routes bets like Schultz or Otton to cover both bases.

Pat Kerrane highlighted Pat Freiermuth as his favorite true punt-tier tight end. Freiermuth now goes undrafted in many Best Ball rooms despite already proving he can command targets and score in the red zone. Kerrane admitted Arthur Smith’s scheme and a likely reduction in Steelers drop-backs limit route potential, but compared that uncertainty to the similar concerns drafters conveniently overlook with heralded rookie tight ends. At a cost of pick 190-plus you are betting on talent over situation; Freiermuth’s demonstrated efficiency and touchdowns give him weekly 15-point ceilings that the other free tight ends simply cannot match.

Shawn Siegele labeled Pat Freiermuth a "must pick" tight end and the heartbeat of Pittsburgh’s revamped offense. Freiermuth has already logged TE7 and TE9 finishes despite uneven quarterback play; now he gets a major upgrade to Aaron Rodgers. With only DK Metcalf and Jonnu Smith competing for targets, Siegele expects Freiermuth to reclaim a top-tier target share and operate as Rodgers’ clear No. 2 option. That combination of steady weekly floor and legitimate ceiling makes Freiermuth the foundation of Siegele’s late-round tight-end build for both season-long and Best Ball contests.

Freiermuth’s ADP cratered from 166.6 to 203.6 (-37.0, ‑22.2 %) once the Steelers traded for Jonnu Smith, and Donabedian still “can’t get excited.” He compared the likely target split to 2023 Atlanta, where both Smith and Kyle Pitts hovered in tight-end purgatory. Unless one misses significant time, Freiermuth now projects as a low-ceiling TE2, making even the discounted tag tough to click outside of deep-tournament Steeler stacks.

Freiermuth’s ADP has cratered from 166.6 to 203.6 (-22.2%) after Pittsburgh traded for Jonnu Smith, and Donabedian still isn’t buying. He expects a 2023-Falcons redux where Smith and Freiermuth cannibalize each other—enough targets to stay on the field, not enough to crack best-ball lineups. With Aaron Rodgers likely to funnel work to DK Metcalf outside, Donabedian believes a meaningful Freiermuth win probably requires a Smith injury. He is passing on Freiermuth unless the price sinks even further into the last two rounds.

Strachan warned that Pat Freiermuth’s 43-spot ADP slide still isn’t enough of a discount. Pittsburgh ranked fifth in rush rate last season, and incoming OC Arthur Smith is unlikely to shift that philosophy even with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Freiermuth also shares a depth chart with Jonnu Smith, a player Rodgers could prefer. Without route volume, Strachan doubts Freiermuth can deliver the spike weeks necessary to pay off in TE-premium best-ball formats and suggests pivoting to higher-ceiling late-round options.

Best Ball Guy acknowledged concerns that Pittsburgh "won't be scoring enough, won't be throwing enough" but still flagged Pat Freiermuth as a screaming value. The tight end is slipping past the standard 18-round cut line and often goes completely undrafted, a drop he called "too much of a dip." Given the lack of proven receiving depth behind George Pickens, Freiermuth could reclaim a meaningful target share at a price that costs virtually nothing. The tout believes bearish sentiment on the entire Steelers offense has overshot, making Freiermuth a no-risk final-round scoop who can soak up red-zone looks and easily outproduce replacement-level waiver options.

Andrew Fillipponi predicted Pat Freiermuth will set personal bests in volume and production because Arthur Smith flat-out loves funneling the offense through tight ends. Smith has dragged Jonnu Smith with him to three different teams and even coaxed record-setting numbers out of Jonnu in Miami last year. Fillipponi thinks the Steelers will have no choice but to copy that approach: DK Metcalf is going to be double-covered all season, and the thin wide-receiver room offers little incentive to attack outside. He noted Mike Tomlin’s historic fear of middle-of-the-field throws and Aaron Rodgers’ lukewarm tight-end history, but argued both tendencies must change now that Freiermuth and Jonnu represent Pittsburgh’s second- and third-best pass catchers. The end result, in his view, is a sneaky TE1 season for Freiermuth in best-ball and season-long formats at a discounted ADP.

Best Ball Guy said Pat Freiermuth is a screaming value whenever he drifts into the 17th-18th round. He pointed to Arthur Smith’s history of propping up multiple fantasy-relevant tight ends—Jonnu Smith and Kyle Pitts still finished TE14 and TE18 in 2023 despite Taylor Heinecke and Desmond Ridder combining for bottom-five efficiency. Swapping that quarterback play out for a healthy Aaron Rodgers, who loves peppering his tight ends in the red zone, gives Freiermuth a realistic path back to double-digit touchdowns. BBG added that Freiermuth will be sparsely drafted, creating unique playoff differentiation, and that Rodgers reportedly lobbied the Steelers’ front office for Freiermuth’s larger role. At a price that barely costs roster capital, he sees an easy bet on a top-12 finish with week-15-to-17 spike potential.

Ben Gretch said Pat Freiermuth is one of the few tight-end bargains left on the board and should be drafted well ahead of teammate Jonnu Smith. Gretch currently has both players projected for roughly 70 targets only because he backs into his numbers via ADP, but he admitted that a pure football projection would give Freiermuth a clear edge. Arthur Smith’s history backs him up: Kyle Pitts earned 90 targets last season while Smith’s TE2 and TE3 combined for another 50 in a run-heavy system. Gretch expects a similar structure in Pittsburgh with Freiermuth operating as the full-time, three-down option and Smith reprise his situational-weapon role from Atlanta. With Aaron Rodgers likely to lean on play-action and quick hitters off a robust ground game, Gretch sees an 80-plus-target, red-zone-friendly path for Freiermuth that easily beats his double-digit-round price. Conversely, Smith’s ADP bakes in unrealistic expectations based on a career-high 70 targets last year that he is unlikely to replicate. Gretch advised scooping Freiermuth as an upside TE2 or late TE1 and letting someone else chase Jonnu’s fleeting Atlanta production.

Pat Kerrane advised best-ball drafters to stop clicking Pat Freiermuth entirely. He pointed out that new coordinator Arthur Smith has always funneled tight-end routes toward Jonnu Smith and already has drafters ranking Jonnu ahead. ETR currently slots Freiermuth outside the top-200 and Kerrane said he does not include the Steeler in his own top-240, citing Smith’s ultra run-heavy tendencies and the likelihood Freiermuth is asked to block instead of run routes. With Aaron Rodgers expected to lean on quick RPO throws to boundary receivers, Kerrane sees no realistic ceiling for Freiermuth and calls him a wasted roster spot at any price.

Jim Coventry argued Pat Freiermuth is a screaming buy at TE17 ADP because his post-bye usage showed borderline TE1 upside. Despite a solid 65-catch, 653-yard, 7-TD season, Freiermuth did not see consistent work until Arthur Smith adjusted after the Week 6 bye. From that point on he hit at least 9.9 PPR points in seven of nine games, averaging 12 per contest, with six-plus targets in four of the final six. With only George Pickens as a credible wideout, Coventry expects Freiermuth to function as Pittsburgh’s No. 2 option even in a run-heavy scheme, making him a cheap path to reliable weekly production.

Moore emphasized that Freiermuth’s fantasy ceiling vanished the moment Jonnu arrived. Pittsburgh plans to lean on heavy 12 personnel, meaning Freiermuth will share routes and red-zone looks with Smith while seeing overall passing volume suppressed under Arthur Smith’s scheme. Because neither tight end is likely to command more than a 12–14 % target share, Moore believes weekly predictability is impossible and labeled Freiermuth a ‘delete button’ in drafts despite his previous path to being the Steelers’ second option behind DK Metcalf.

Pete Overzet said Pat Freiermuth is the best way to play the newly-revamped Steelers passing attack in best ball. His reasoning: (1) Aaron Rodgers has a long track record of leaning on tight ends when his wide-receiver room is thin, citing years where Jermichael Finley and even Richard Rodgers popped for 7-plus TDs. (2) Pittsburgh’s current WR2 battle is between undersized Calvin Austin and raw rookie Roman Wilson, so Rodgers may funnel throws inside. (3) Freiermuth’s ADP is still in the late double-digit rounds, making him a cheap correlation play with Rodgers compared to paying a mid-4th-round price for the offense’s brand-name options. Overzet expects a steady target share, red-zone usage, and spike-week potential that pays off his low cost.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound warned drafters to stay away from Pat Freiermuth until the Jonnu Smith situation is resolved. He reiterated that multiple reports have linked Smith to Pittsburgh, and if that deal happens Freiermuth would slide into a two-tight-end rotation on a team that already ranks bottom-three in tight-end target share. Pat said, “you can’t click Pat Fry right now,” because Jonnu would siphon routes between the twenties and poach red-zone work, turning Freiermuth into a touchdown-or-bust play with a low target floor—exactly the profile that gets buried in Underdog’s single-week playoff rounds. Until the trade rumors die, Pat is passing on Freiermuth entirely.

Billy Jones highlighted Pat Freiermuth’s 10-pick ADP rise as a signal that late-round tight-end drafters are finally catching on. He likes Freiermuth specifically in three-TE builds, projecting several weeks of 5-for-55 and a touchdown— the exact profile that pops in best-ball spike-week formats. With George Pickens potentially leaving town and Justin Fields favoring tight ends, Billy sees room for additional target share and called Freiermuth an ideal Round-12 safety valve when the wide-receiver pool dries up.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said Pat Freiermuth is still too cheap in BBM6 drafts now that George Pickens trade rumors are swirling. He expects any Pickens departure—or even the threat of it—to consolidate intermediate targets around Freiermuth, who already owns a 22% red-zone target rate over the last two seasons. Pat pointed out that Pittsburgh’s depth chart behind Freiermuth is replacement-level (Darnell Washington averaged just 0.62 yards per route) and the Steelers appear willing to roll into Week 1 with Mason Rudolph and rookie Will Howard. That combination likely means a conservative, run-heavy approach that funnels 5-to-7 dump-offs per game to the tight end. Pat anticipates a career-high 90–95 targets and thinks Freiermuth’s ADP will settle in the late-120s once the market realizes he could lead the team in receptions.

Davis Mattek warned drafters not to chase Pat Freiermuth into Round 10 after the Metcalf trade jolted Pittsburgh hype. Mattek said he "can’t get the image out of my head" of Freiermuth catching the ball and immediately getting blown up—his 2.6 yards after catch per reception ranked 33rd among 35 qualified tight ends last year. Pittsburgh still projects bottom-five in pass attempts under Mike Tomlin unless Aaron Rodgers somehow arrives, and Mattek doubts Rodgers would funnel targets to a plodding tight end with zero separation skills. He would rather click Jake Ferguson two rounds later or punt the position entirely than buy into a Steeler passing game that remains "slow, brutal, run-heavy."