Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth named 'fantasy football breakout candidate' for 2022 NFL season

As of July 13, the Pittsburgh Steelers have not publicly said who their starting quarterback will be for Week 1 in September between free-agent signing Mitchell Trubisky, first-round draft selection Kenny Pickett and career backup Mason Rudolph. Truth be told, the situation has sparked debates among fans and insiders for weeks, if not months. 

It seems, though, that many are on the same page regarding a certain Steelers second-year pro thriving while catching passes from whomever is under center. 

ESPN stats notes that 2021 rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth finished his first NFL regular season third among Pittsburgh players with 60 catches and 497 receiving yards, and he was second on the team with seven touchdown receptions. Late last month, Freiermuth was mentioned as a "potential first-time Pro Bowler" for the 2022 campaign, and The Athletic's Mark Kaboly has now named the 23-year-old as a "top fantasy football breakout candidate" ahead of training camp sessions that begin later this month. 

"Some might suggest Freiermuth’s rookie campaign was his breakout season with 60 receptions on only 79 targets and seven touchdowns in fewer than 60 percent of the offensive snaps," Kaboly explained. "But with Eric Ebron gone and the Steelers likely to attack the middle of the field more with likely starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky, Freiermuth’s numbers could skyrocket him into one of the top six tight ends in the league by the end of the year. 

"Freiermuth became a red zone target for the Steelers last year with his athletic ability and good hands. He scored six touchdowns in a seven-game span, and Matt Canada’s motion offense should allow him to rack up some easy catch-and-run opportunities."

Assuming analysts are spot-on with their predictions and breakdowns, all three Pittsburgh signal-callers allegedly competing for the starting job this summer would do well to become fast friends with Freiermuth even before the first August preseason game is within sight.