Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Juwan Johnson vs Pat FreiermuthWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Juwan Johnson is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 8.3 PPG to Pat Freiermuth's 6.2 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Juwan Johnson is the better fantasy play this season.

Juwan Johnson has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 2.1-PPG advantage is real (8.3 to 6.2), and Juwan Johnson's 3 touchdowns show scoring upside. Pat Freiermuth is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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TENew Orleans Saints#17PPG LEADER

Juwan Johnson

PPG

8.3

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

889

Rec TDs

Targets

102

Bye

Week 8

TEPittsburgh Steelers#28

Pat Freiermuth

PPG

6.2

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

486

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 9

The Edge Chart

Juwan Johnson

Pat Freiermuth

Head to Head

8.3 PPG6.2 PPG

17 GP15 GP

Bye: Week 8Bye: Week 9

Fantasy Tiers

Juwan Johnson: Tier 3 (Flex/Starter) TE (ranked #17 at the position). Pat Freiermuth: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) TE (ranked #28 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Juwan Johnson is producing at 38% of elite pace and Pat Freiermuth at 28%. That ranking gap means Juwan Johnson carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Juwan Johnson vs Pat Freiermuth: The Full Breakdown

Two tight ends who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Juwan Johnson (New Orleans Saints) finished the 2025 season averaging 8.3 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh Steelers) came in at 6.2 PPG over 15 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.

Juwan Johnson carries a 2.1-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.

Juwan Johnson is the volume tight end in this matchup with 77 receptions for 889 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 Juwan Johnson, but the floor gap is real.

Juwan Johnson has his bye in Week 8, and Pat Freiermuth rests in Week 9. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

Both are in a similar trade value range. A straight swap would be fair in most leagues, with the tiebreaker going to whichever manager values schedule or bye week more. Dynasty outlook: Juwan Johnson (age 29) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value. Pat Freiermuth (age 27) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value.

Did You Know?

•Juwan Johnson outscored Pat Freiermuth by a projected 36 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Juwan Johnson played 17 games in 2025 compared to Pat Freiermuth's 15. That durability gap means Juwan Johnson contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Pat Freiermuth scored 4 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.3 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Juwan Johnson saw 102 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Juwan Johnson vs Pat Freiermuth: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Juwan Johnson	Pat Freiermuth
PPG (Half-PPR)	8.3	6.2
Games Played	17	15
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	141	93
Receptions	77	41
Rec/Game	4.5	2.7
Receiving Yards	889	486
Rec Yds/Game	52.3	32.4
Receiving TDs	3	4
Targets	102	54
Target Share/Game	6.0	3.6
Age	29	27
Experience	5 yrs	4 yrs
Bye Week	Week 8	Week 9

Summary

Based on 2025 production, Juwan Johnson holds the PPG edge with low-end output at 8.3 points per game. Pat Freiermuth averaged 6.2 PPG. Season averages are a starting point, not the final word. For a full AI analysis factoring matchup quality, recent form, injury impact, and game script, download DraftCall and get a verdict backed by real data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Juwan Johnson or Pat Freiermuth in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Juwan Johnson has the edge at 8.3 PPG compared to Pat Freiermuth's 6.2 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Juwan Johnson and Pat Freiermuth average in 2025?▾

Juwan Johnson averaged 8.3 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 17 games in 2025. Pat Freiermuth averaged 6.2 PPG over 15 games. That is a difference of 2.1 points per game.

When are Juwan Johnson and Pat Freiermuth's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Juwan Johnson (NO) has a bye in Week 8, and Pat Freiermuth (PIT) has a bye in Week 9. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Juwan Johnson or Pat Freiermuth a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Juwan Johnson outscored Pat Freiermuth by 2.1 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.