Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth exploded for 111 yards and two TDs in Thursday night's loss to the Bengals. His first score came on a perfectly timed throw from QB Aaron Rodgers down the seam from 19 yards out. Freiermuth did well to absorb contact and hang on to the ball in the end zone. The second TD was a 68-yarder on a coverage bust by Cincinnati's secondary. Rodgers bought extra time, rolled to his left and found Freiermuth some 40 yards downfield. Freiermuth made the grab and rumbled into the end zone to give Pittsburgh a short-lived 31-30 lead with 2:21 left.
This big game came out of nowhere. Over the first five games of the season, Freiermuth totaled:
Freiermuth found himself third among Steelers TEs in routes -- behind Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington -- in the previous two games. But he spiked to a season-high 74% route rate vs. the Bengals.
So can we trust Freiermuth as a fantasy option going forward? Not yet.
OC Arthur Smith has a maddening tendency to shift player usage from week to week. And Freiermuth's big Week 7 was likely matchup-related. The Bengals came into this one ranked dead last in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs. Smith (3-28-1) and Washington (3-2-1) also scored TDs in this game.
There's room for Freiermuth to play a significant role in a passing game with nothing at WR behind D.K. Metcalf, so we're not ruling him out as a fantasy asset going forward. He's worth adding on fantasy teams in need of TE help in deeper leagues. But we're certainly not ready to trust Freiermuth as a fantasy starter just yet.
It's worth noting, though, that he gets plus matchups the next two weeks vs. the Packers and Colts. Those teams rank 23rd and 28th, respectively, in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs.
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