Darnell Washington vs Pat Freiermuth: Who Should You Start?
Two tight ends who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Darnell Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers) finished the 2025 season averaging 3.6 fantasy points per game in 16 games. Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh Steelers) came in at 5.5 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Pat Freiermuth carries a 1.9-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both see steady target volume for the tight end position. Darnell Washington had 31 catches for 364 yards; Pat Freiermuth posted 41 for 486. At a position where most starters barely clear 7 PPG, this class of tight end is where the fantasy advantage lives week to week.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 9 bye. That means you need a backup plan at tight end for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
