Steelers QB Kenny Pickett has found a best friend on offense
Few names say "Pittsburgh Steelers" like Pat Freiermuth. That's a top-tier football name in my book. But little by little, Freiermuth is establishing himself as a top-tier tight end in the NFL as well. And Kenny Pickett has identified by going to him more often than any other Steelers' pass catcher over the last few […]
Few names say "Pittsburgh Steelers" like Pat Freiermuth. That's a top-tier football name in my book. But little by little, Freiermuth is establishing himself as a top-tier tight end in the NFL as well.
And Kenny Pickett has identified by going to him more often than any other Steelers' pass catcher over the last few weeks. Since the first-round rookie quarterback first played in the regular season, Freiermuth averages 7.7 targets and 57 yards per game.
For the season, Freiermuth leads the Steelers in receiving yards even though he has 19 fewer targets than team leader Diontae Johnson. 55% of his catches have moved the chains for Pittsburgh, too.
Over the last two weeks specifically, the tight end's usage has skyrocketed. Check out what NFL.com analyst Michael Florio wrote about Freiermuth:
"He leads the Steelers with a 30% target share and a 32% air yard share in the last two weeks. He is coming off a game with a season-high 12 targets and has at least seven in four straight games."
Sure, that's just fantasy football analysis but it does provide valuable insight into the volume Freiermuth is working with.
Perhaps no other play exemplifies the value the 24-year-old provides the Steelers than his 27-yard catch against the Cincinnati Bengals. His chemistry with Pickett is especially evident on this one as he stops his vertical route to work back to his quarterback as the rookie scrambles.
Right after making the catch, Freiermuth picks up an additional 15 yards. By the way, the guy leads the Steelers with 167 yards after the catch.
Whether it's been by design or by circumstance, Pickett has been smart to pick Freiermuth as his go-to guy. The former second-round pick might be talked about as one of the best tight ends in the game a few years from now judging by the numbers he's put up in Matt Canada's offense.
Look for Freiermuth to keep eating targets from some of the talented wideouts on the team as he continues to prove he's worth in Pittsburgh.
Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
