Start Jake Ferguson or Pat Freiermuth? Week 8

Our Week 8 call

Start Pat Freiermuth over Jake Ferguson in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Pat Freiermuth at 8.1 points and Jake Ferguson at 6.8, a gap of 1.3. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Pat Freiermuth this week yet, so his 8.1 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (7.7, 8.3 and 8.3); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Jake Ferguson this week yet, so his 6.8 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (6.9, 7.5 and 6.1); the call is rebuilt when his market posts.

What the market projects

No Week 8 player market is posted for Pat Freiermuth yet. His market-based projections were 7.7, 8.3 and 8.3 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 8.1, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

The market-based projection for Pat Freiermuth is 0.3 touchdowns (7 market sources).

No Week 8 player market is posted for Jake Ferguson yet. His market-based projections were 6.9, 7.6 and 6.1 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 6.8, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

That puts Pat Freiermuth 1.3 points ahead of Jake Ferguson on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

Pat Freiermuth and PIT host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 13.6 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 7 games, the 14th most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 49 yards and 0.6 touchdowns a game against CLE.

Jake Ferguson and DAL host ARI on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

ARI allowed 16.6 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 7 games, the 7th most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 60 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game against ARI.

By points allowed to the position, Jake Ferguson has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Pat Freiermuth is not on the injury report.

Jake Ferguson is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Pat Freiermuth played 67 percent of PIT snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 14 percent of the air yards and had 11 percent of the red zone chances.

Pat Freiermuth, Week 4 against CLE: 54 of 72 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 17 yards, 1 touchdown.

Pat Freiermuth, Week 5 against IND: 41 of 60 snaps, 1 carry for 1 yards, 7 targets and 5 catches for 44 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Pat Freiermuth, Week 6 against TB: 57 of 79 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 11 yards.

Pat Freiermuth, Week 7 against NO: 34 of 64 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 20 yards.

Through Week 7, Jake Ferguson played 66 percent of DAL snaps, drew 9 percent of the targets, earned 6 percent of the air yards and had 6 percent of the red zone chances.

Jake Ferguson, Week 4 against HOU: 55 of 78 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 11 yards.

Jake Ferguson, Week 5 against TB: 50 of 60 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 19 yards.

Jake Ferguson, Week 6 against GB: 42 of 78 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 13 yards.

Jake Ferguson, Week 7 against PHI: 38 of 68 snaps, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Pat Freiermuth played 17 games for PIT and scored 113.6 PPR points, 6.7 a game, finishing TE25.

He caught 41 of 54 targets for 486 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 9 red zone targets and 231 air yards.

He was on the field for 49 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Jake Ferguson played 17 games for DAL and scored 188.1 PPR points, 11.1 a game, finishing TE5.

He caught 82 of 102 targets for 600 yards and 8 touchdowns, with 23 red zone targets and 293 air yards.

He was on the field for 67 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

• Start Pat Freiermuth over AJ Barner.
• Start Brenton Strange over Pat Freiermuth.
• Start Cade Otton over Pat Freiermuth.
• Start Jake Ferguson over AJ Barner.
• Start Jake Ferguson over Brenton Strange.
• Start Cade Otton over Jake Ferguson.