Week 13 Waiver Wire Target: Was Pat Freiermuth's Big Week 12 a Sign of Things to Come?
Discussing Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth as a possible week 13 waiver wire addition.
Week 12 still has one game remaining, but it’s always a good idea to get a headstart on the waiver wire.
Pittsburgh Steelers’ Pat Freiermuth has scored the most fantasy points among tight ends going into the Monday night contest. Was his week 12 showing a sign of things to come, and should you add Freiermuth to your team? Let’s discuss.
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Week 12 Showing/Season Numbers
Freiermuth easily had his best game of the season, which came right after the team made a change at offensive coordinator.
He was targeted a whopping 11 times, which was seven more times than in any other contest this season. Freiermuth caught nine of those passes, after coming into the game with just three receptions for a high.
The Steelers’ tight end went for 120 receiving yards. He had one other contest with 41 receiving yards, and was held to single digits in his other games.
Freiermuth battled an injury for a good portion of the season, so week 12 was just his sixth game.
The tight end led the Steelers in targets, catches and yards in week 12.
Freiermuth’s Fantasy Outlook
The fact that this breakout showing came immediately after a change at offensive coordinator could just be a coincidence, especially when you consider Freiermuth was working his way back from his injury. Still, the Steelers’ offense actually had some life, so the tight end’s big day is definitely going to make him a hot name on the waiver wire going into week 13.
George Pickens and Diontae Johnson are Pittsburgh’s top pass catchers, but they’ve struggled to consistently contribute to the offense. Even if Freiermuth isn’t the top option or two, there aren’t many other pass catchers who have done anything, so the opportunity to fill that role is certainly something Freiermuth could do.
With Kenny Pickett at quarterback, it seems very likely that the Steelers will ever be an offense that throws the ball downfield a ton, which also works in Freiermuth’s favor.
His slow start to the season, mixed with the injury concerns, only has Freiermuth owned in 53% of leagues, according to our charts. This is a guy who has had over 60 receptions in each of the past two seasons, combining for over 1,200 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. So his week 12 performance shouldn’t be all that surprising, but more a welcomed sight for fantasy owners.
If he can build upon week 12, Freiermuth has the potential to be a top-five fantasy tight end for the remainder of the season.
As for his schedule the rest of the way, FantasySP’s new strength of schedule gives the Pittsburgh tight ends a B+ grade.
The Steelers have the Arizona Cardinals in week 13, New England Patriots in week 14, Indianapolis Colts in week 15, Cincinnati Bengals in week 16, Seattle Seahawks in week 17 and Baltimore Ravens in week 18 (if your league plays the championship then). The Cardinals and Patriots’ defenses are tough on opposing tight ends, but things get a bit easier after that. If you don’t play in week 18, Freiermuth ends his season with average to above-average contests.
How to Approach Freiermuth
I absolutely think Freiermuth should be a waiver wire target for all fantasy owners in week 12. If you’ve yet to find a permanent starter at tight end, then Freiermuth should probably be your top priority.
He’s going to be involved in the Steelers’ offense as they chase a postseason spot. He might not finish with as many catches, targets and yards every week, but I also think he’s got a better chance at reaching those numbers than the ones he had previously produced. He can make up for less catches and yards with scores, which he has done twice this season.
If you are in a league that uses a free agent auction budget (FAAB), you might have to spend quite a bit of your remaining budget to nab him. If you are simply looking to add depth to your team, spending between 10-15% of your remaining budget makes sense to me. If you are in desperate need of a tight end and are set at every other position, then spending between 20-30% seems reasonable.
If Freiermuth is owned in your league and you are looking to make a trade for him, his price tag absolutely went up from last week. Still, he should be fairly easy to acquire, as he just has the one great fantasy showing and some injury concerns.
Make sure to check out the trade value charts and come up with the fairest offer you possibly can.
If I were trading for Freiermuth, I’d trade a player from a position of strength. If the fantasy owner that rosters Freiermuth is lacking at a couple positions, maybe you could trade a couple depth pieces instead.
