Pat Freiermuth vs Travis Kelce: Who Should You Start?
If you are choosing between Pat Freiermuth and Travis Kelce for your lineup, you are not alone. Pat Freiermuth finished the 2025 season at 5.5 PPG for the Pittsburgh Steelers (17 games), and Travis Kelce averaged 9.1 for the Kansas City Chiefs (17 games).
That 3.6-point weekly advantage for Travis Kelce is meaningful but not automatic. Fantasy football is a week-to-week sport, and the answer to "who should I start" often changes based on opponent, recent form, and game environment. Season averages set the baseline; weekly context makes the call.
Travis Kelce is the volume tight end in this matchup with 76 receptions for 851 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 Travis Kelce, but the floor gap is real.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Pat Freiermuth sits Week 9 while Travis Kelce is off Week 6. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
