Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth tied his season low with a 58% snap share in Sunday's win over the Ravens. That matched his low set back in Week 2, but it also matched his snap share for Week 10. Freiermuth's playing time has been falling recently, from a Week 6 peek of 87%, to 71%, then 65%, and the 58% of the past two weeks. He has now tied or trailed TE Darnell Washington in snaps for two straight games.
Freiermuth hasn't seen more than 3 targets in a game since Week 4. Sunday found him garnering just 2 -- and trailing Washington in targets for the second time in the past four games.
Freiermuth's recent role looks especially bad because his offense continues to sport little receiving talent beyond WR George Pickens.
Freiermuth's 36 targets for the season still rank second on the team, three ahead of WR Calvin Austin III but 41 behind Pickens.
The downward trend in playing time and lack of opportunities tells us that OC Arthur Smith doesn't view the 26-year-old TE as an important passing-game piece.
Don't expect much fantasy impact from Freiermuth the rest of this season.
It's an especially odd trend when you factor in that Pittsburgh just gave Freiermuth a four-year extension at $12 million annual averages in early September.
Smith's usage of the TE bodes ill for his fantasy outlook as long as the OC sticks around.
According to Spotrac, the extension guaranteed just $11.6 million of the $48 million total and includes an "out" after this season.
Guess we'll see what happens.
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