Jonathon Brooks or Pat Freiermuth: Who Should You Start?
Preliminary board2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.
Freiermuth's role edges Brooks despite Carolina's better scoring outlook
Freiermuth gets the narrow edge because his established TE1 role gives him a more usable PPR floor, while Brooks' better game environment is undermined by a backup workload. Brooks played only 19% of Carolina's Week 1 offensive snaps, leaving his explosive receiving ability dependent on a splash play (Panthers.com 2026-09-14). That makes their identical projections less reassuring for Brooks; Freiermuth's volume is more repeatable, though New England's tight-end matchup is the real risk and keeps both on the bench. Brooks still has the stronger scoring environment and more big-play appeal.
What flips it: A confirmed move into a lead-back workload for Brooks.
Sources: Panthers.com · Sep 14, 2026
AI editor
In standard scoring this is a coin flip.
Jonathon Brooks
6.87.78.5 Projected Points
Pat Freiermuth
4.66.68.5 Projected Points
Jonathon Brooks’s market
Pat Freiermuth’s market
Why Jonathon Brooks
SitBackup RB with three-down skill set. Smooth zone runner returning from major knee injury; limited NFL sample.
Sit — RB32 consensus, projects RB42 this week: ATL is the 11th-toughest matchup vs RBs, 6% target share.
- Brooks offers explosive receiving upside and the better team scoring environment.
- His current role is too small for the favorable script to reliably matter.
Latest on Brooks
Jonathon Brooks played just 19 percent of Week 1 offensive snaps and managed only 4 carries for 14 yards, well behind Hubbard's workload, though he did catch a 48-yard pass, the longest of his career.
Panthers.com · Sep 14, 2026Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks will play against the Bears as he comes back from multiple knee injuries.
The third-year running back is medically cleared, and ready to go Sunday against the Bears. Plus more from Friday's practice, including pass-rush options, and a last-minute adjustment to the practice routine.
The Panthers ruled outside linebacker Patrick Jones II out for Sunday's opener against the Bears, but he's the only player on the report with an injury status for the game. That means running back Jonathon Brooks is good to go.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Pat Freiermuth
SitTE1 in pass-catching role. Reliable chain-mover with red-zone size and dependable hands.
Sit — bench-tier TE at consensus TE24: NE is the 2nd-toughest matchup vs TEs, 14% target share.
- Freiermuth's TE1 role makes his PPR volume more repeatable than Brooks' splash-play path.
- The difficult tight-end matchup limits his ceiling and keeps this from becoming a start call.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Jonathon Brooks | Pat Freiermuth |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 6.87.78.5 | 4.66.68.5 |
| Consensus rank | RB32 | TE24 |
| Opponent vs position | ATL · 11 of 321-game sample | NE · 2 of 321-game sample |
| Rushing Yards | 8 of 32 | — |
| Rushing TDs | 1 of 32 | — |
| Rushing Attempts | 9 of 32 | — |
| Receptions | 27 of 32 | 2 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 22 of 32 | 2 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 1 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | — | 1 of 32 |
| Targets | — | 2 of 32 |
| Target share | 6% | 14% |
| Reception share | 4% | 21% |
| Implied total · spread | 21.5+1.5 | 19.5+4.5 |
| Depth chart | RB2 | TE2 |
| Snap share | 19% | 73% |
| Start/Sit record | 0–0+1 toss-up | — |
Recent form
Jonathon Brooks — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs CHI | 6.26.77.2 |
Pat Freiermuth — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs ATL | 10.613.115.6 |
Signal breakdown
- 8.5 vs 8.5 projected PPR pointsJonathon Brooks +
- Rank 32 vs 24Pat Freiermuth +
- Opponent DvP rank 11 vs 2 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 21.5 vs 19.5 team pointsJonathon Brooks +
- No injury designationseven
- 19% vs 73% snap sharePat Freiermuth +
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