Who Should I Start? Pat Freiermuth or Jake Ferguson

Sunday, December 7, 9:15 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth continues to play less than half of the offensive snaps, and he seems to be third on the tight end pecking order behind both Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith. Freiermuth was held without a target last Sunday, and he has a modest seven catches over his last four games. The 27-year-old ranks as the overall TE24 so far this season, and his fantasy value has been largely dependent on scoring touchdowns. He has exceeded 6.5 fantasy points (PPR) just three times this year, and it happened in the three games where he scored at least one touchdown. His chances of getting back on track this week are very slim as he takes on the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has played strong defense against tight ends in 2025, allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points to the position. Freiermuth ranks as the overall TE30 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy rankings. He can be avoided in most leagues during Week 14.

Friday, December 12, 7:51 PM

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (calf) carries a questionable tag into Sunday night's contest against the Minnesota Vikings and would be viewed as a low-end TE1 if cleared for action. Ferguson opened the week as a limited participant but was downgraded to a non-participant on Thursday, putting his availability in jeopardy. However, on Friday, the veteran tight end was able to practice in a limited capacity, which keeps him in play to suit up. Additionally, Todd Archer of ESPN reported that HC Brian Schottenheimer said he is "relieved" that Ferguson was able to "answer the bell" on Friday, suggesting he should be in a good position to play. From Weeks 1 through 7, Ferguson was on pace to compete for the overall TE1, as he averaged an elite 17.2 PPR points per game and found the back of the end zone six times. However, since Week 8, Ferguson's production has dropped considerably, averaging only 8.7 PPR points per game. During this stretch, he has scored just one touchdown. Even though Ferguson's production has continued to decline, managers should still view him as a reliable low-end TE1 given his elite offensive environment. He should be primed for a bounce-back in a projected high-scoring affair (O/U 48.5) against the Vikings on Sunday evening.