Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth was poised for a 2023 breakout. After scoring 7 TDs as a rookie, then garnering 98 targets and 732 yards receiving in 2022, Freiermuth was going to put it all together last season. A funny thing happened on the way to superstardom. Freiermuth suffered through a combination of injury and poor quarterback play in 2023 on his way to line of 308 yards receiving on 32 catches and 2 TDs. Roughly half, by all measures, of his previous production. Enter Russell Wilson.

Russell Wilson is the new, presumed, QB1 in Pittsburgh, and he brings with him a better ability to put the ball in the hands of his receivers than who the Steelers rolled out last season. Target monster Diontae Johnson has also left the building, leaving the vacated targets to “Muth” and WR George Pickens. Additionally, new OC Arthur Smith’s offensive scheme is heavily reliant on a pass-catching TE and has allowed Jonnu Smith and Delanie Walker to thrive. According to reports following OTAs and Steelers mini-camp, Wilson and Freiermuth have developed a connection already and Freiermuth “performed better and more consistently for four weeks” than the othe Steelers. Even if it’s not Wilson but Justin Fields, Fields had a chemistry in Chicago with Cole Kmet that led to Kmet finishing as PPR TE7 in successive seasons.

Freiermuth is a must draft across all formats. He should be able to meet either, if not both of analyst Andrew Cooper’s thresholds: 90 targets, 10 touchdowns.