Pat Freiermuth vs Trey McBride: Who Should You Start?
There is a real production gap between these two tight ends. Trey McBride (Arizona Cardinals) averaged 14.9 PPG over 17 games in 2025, outscoring Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh Steelers, 5.5 PPG) by 9.4 points per week. That separation would need a significant matchup swing to overcome.
A 9.4-PPG gap gives Trey McBride the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Trey McBride is the volume tight end in this matchup with 126 receptions for 1239 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 Trey McBride, but the floor gap is real.
One scheduling note: Pat Freiermuth is off Week 9 and Trey McBride Week 11. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
