Who Should I Start? Pat Freiermuth or Colston Loveland

Friday, September 5, 7:47 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth will kick off the fifth season of his career on the road against the New York Jets. Freiermuth quietly finished as a top-10 fantasy option in 2024 and should benefit from improved QB play this season, but he will now share opportunities with Pro-Bowler Jonnu Smith in what is expected to be a run-heavy offense. The Jets were stingy against opposing tight ends last year, and Sunday's contest has the lowest-projected point total of the week. As a result, Freiermuth should be avoided in all but the deepest of fantasy formats in Week 1.

Saturday, September 6, 2:45 PM

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland makes his NFL debut on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. Drafted 10th overall in 2025, Loveland enters the league with high expectations as a long-term playmaker in Ben Johnson's offense. However, fantasy managers should temper expectations for Week 1. Loveland will begin his rookie season in a timeshare with veteran Cole Kmet, who has been a steady producer throughout his five-year career. With target competition across the offense and the necessity for a Caleb Williams Year 2 leap, Loveland's fantasy value may take time to materialize. The matchup doesn't help either, as Minnesota's defense allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends last season. Until his role becomes clearer, Loveland is best treated as a low-end TE2 in Week 1.