Colston Loveland or Pat Freiermuth: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Loveland wins the comparison on upside, not on a safer receiving role
Loveland gets the narrow head-to-head edge from his stronger consensus standing and heavier snap deployment, but the small projection gap does not decide much on its own at tight end. His blocking-heavy work is the real concern: SI.com reports just one catch through two games and notes his role as a blocker, including on the game-ending sack allowed against Minnesota (SI.com (Bears On SI) 2026-09-22). That makes this a comparative win for Loveland, not a reason to ignore the board’s SIT for him and START for Freiermuth; Freiermuth’s stronger pass-catching involvement and recent production support the safer lineup call.
What flips it: Loveland earning more routes and targets instead of spending those snaps blocking.
Sources: SI.com (Bears On SI) · Sep 22, 2026 · ESPN · Sep 17, 2026
AI editor
Colston Loveland
5.87.79.7 Projected Points
Pat Freiermuth
4.66.58.3 Projected Points
Colston Loveland’s market
Pat Freiermuth’s market
Why Colston Loveland
SitTE1 and pass-catching mismatch. Seam-stretching move tight end with flex alignment and rising target volume.
Sit — TE3 consensus, projects TE14 this week: PHI is the 2nd-toughest matchup vs TEs, 24.0 implied team total.
- His blocking assignment has consumed snaps that might otherwise become receiving chances (SI.com (Bears On SI) 2026-09-22).
- The zero-confidence, two-game matchup sample is too thin to treat Philadelphia’s tight-end ranking as a deciding factor.
Latest on Loveland
Loveland has been almost invisible through two games with just one catch for three yards on five targets, and his primary role has instead been as a blocker, including being responsible for the block on the game-ending sack allowed against Minnesota.
SI.com (Bears On SI) · Sep 22, 2026When even the "little guys" are getting a hat on a hat, it's that much easier to post 59 points and over 500 yards.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Pat Freiermuth
StartTE1 in pass-catching role. Reliable chain-mover with red-zone size and dependable hands.
Start — TE24 consensus, projects TE21 this week: 14% target share, 8.3 PPR projected vs CIN.
- Freiermuth’s pass-catching role gives his workload a clearer route to fantasy points.
- ESPN’s Week 1 trend report supports the case that his role is moving upward (ESPN 2026-09-17).
Latest on Freiermuth
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Colston Loveland | Pat Freiermuth |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 5.87.79.7 | 4.66.58.3 |
| Consensus rank | TE3 | TE24 |
| Opponent vs position | PHI · 2 of 322-game sample | CIN · 19 of 322-game sample |
| Receptions | 3 of 32 | 32 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 2 of 32 | 32 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 1 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Targets | 3 of 32 | 30 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 1 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Target share | 9% | 14% |
| Reception share | 2% | 19% |
| Implied total · spread | 24.0-1.5 | 22.5+1.5 |
| Depth chart | TE1 | TE1 |
| Snap share | 87% | 70% |
Recent form
Colston Loveland — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs MIN | 0.30.81.3 |
| Week 1 | vs CAR | 0.00.00.0 |
Pat Freiermuth — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs NE | 3.45.47.4 |
| Week 1 | vs ATL | 10.613.115.6 |
Signal breakdown
- 9.7 vs 8.3 projected PPR pointsColston Loveland +
- Rank 3 vs 24Colston Loveland +
- Opponent DvP rank 2 vs 19 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 24.0 vs 22.5 team pointsColston Loveland +
- No injury designationseven
- 87% vs 70% snap shareColston Loveland +
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