Who Should I Start? Pat Freiermuth or Elijah Arroyo

Monday, January 12, 6:37 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth had very limited fantasy football upside in 2025 while sharing TE duties with both Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington (forearm). He finished as the TE24 in half-PPR scoring in 16 regular-season games, with 41 catches on 54 targets for 486 yards and four touchdowns. Freiermuth and Smith should have slightly bigger roles going into the playoffs on Wild-Card weekend on Monday night against the Houston Texans with Washington out, but the 27-year-old still isn't an ideal option for fantasy managers in a bad matchup. Freiermuth did finish the regular season strong with six catches on 10 targets for 114 yards in the final two games, but he hasn't scored since Nov. 23. The Texans have the No. 1 defense in the league, and they've allowed only 775 receiving yards (seventh-fewest) and eight TDs all year to the tight end position.

Thursday, January 15, 11:30 PM

Seattle Seahawks rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo (knee) returned to practice this week, but he will not be activated from Injured Reserve and won't play in the Divisional Round on Saturday night against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. The 22-year-old was able to practice in full all week, though, so if Seattle advances past the 49ers and to the NFC Championship next weekend, he should have a good shot to return as TE depth for the Seahawks. Arroyo, a second-rounder out of Miami, was well behind AJ Barner in the pecking order in Seattle in his first year in the NFL. The young tight end played in 13 games in the regular season and caught just 15 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown. If he comes back in the NFC Championship if the Seahawks advance, he won't be recommended in fantasy playoff lineups.