Who Should I Start? Pat Freiermuth or Tommy Tremble

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 8, 1:20 PM

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble will be the team's top pass-catching tight end going into the playoffs with Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle) on Injured Reserve. With Sanders out in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tremble caught three of his four targets for 38 yards and just his second touchdown of the year. The 25-year-old was the team's third leading receiver in the loss to Tampa. In 17 regular-season games with Carolina in 2025, Tremble caught 27 of his 37 targets for 249 yards and two scores. He'll still be more of a dart throw as a TE streamer in fantasy football playoff leagues when the Panthers take on the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Wild-Card weekend this Saturday. The Rams defense has been in the middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing TEs this year, and they've allowed the eighth-fewest total yards (775) to the position.