George Kittle vs Pat Freiermuth: Who Should You Start?
George Kittle and Pat Freiermuth are at different tiers heading into 2026. The San Francisco 49ers tight end averaged 12.1 PPG in 2025, a full 6.6 points per game ahead of Pat Freiermuth's 5.5 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
George Kittle carries a 6.6-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.
George Kittle is the volume tight end in this matchup with 57 receptions for 628 yards, while Pat Freiermuth profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (4 scores on 41 catches). In weeks where Pat Freiermuth finds the end zone he out-scores George Kittle, but the floor gap is real.
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.
