Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has quietly developed into a key piece of the offense, but his status for Week 9 is suddenly in doubt. Freiermuth suffered a quad injury during the team’s Week 8 loss to the Green Bay Packers, putting his availability up in the air just one week after erupting for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
With an important matchup against the Indianapolis Colts looming, the Steelers aren’t yet certain whether one of their most reliable targets will be able to suit up.
Will Pat Freiermuth Play in Week 9?
Freiermuth suffered the injury after catching a pass in the flat and taking a hard hit to the ground in the third quarter of the Steelers’ Week 8 loss to the Packers. At that point, he had only two catches for seven yards.
He managed to find his way to the sideline and was checked out in the medical tent. After being cleared, he returned later in the third quarter but finished with just 27 snaps and three receptions for 13 yards, clearly limited the rest of the way.
When the Steelers opened practice on Wednesday, Freiermuth was absent due to a quadriceps issue. While the exact severity remains unclear, early indications suggest he may be trending toward missing Sunday’s matchup. However, if he can string together limited sessions on Thursday and Friday, the door remains open for him to suit up.
Freiermuth remains the league’s 21st-best tight end despite inconsistent production, according to PFSN’s Tight End Impact metric (76.3 rating). He’s the Steelers’ second-leading receiver with 16 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns, though most of that damage came during his Week 7 breakout against Cincinnati. He’s been held to three or fewer receptions in six of his seven games, totaling just 89 yards.
If Freiermuth has to miss time, Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington are expected to see increased snaps, though neither offers much fantasy upside. Pittsburgh hasn’t found reliable support elsewhere, beyond DK Metcalf, with Jaylen Warren and Calvin Austin III yet to surpass 200 receiving yards this season.
The Steelers (4-3) remain atop the AFC North, but the next two weeks loom large. Pittsburgh will host the Colts before traveling to face the Los Angeles Chargers, with division rival Baltimore Ravens (2-5) trailing by just two games, and star quarterback Lamar Jackson nearing a return.
The Steelers and Ravens are set to meet twice down the stretch, adding even more weight to Freiermuth’s availability.
