MarShawn Lloyd or Pat Freiermuth: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Lloyd's rushing control meets Freiermuth's steadier receiving role

Lloyd has the cleaner game script: as Green Bay's lead rushing option, he can benefit if the favorite controls the game, a role confirmed by [Yahoo Sports 2026-09-14]. Freiermuth counters with the more stable weekly path through routes and targets, plus a red-zone role that produced Pittsburgh's only touchdown in Week 1 [SI.com (Steelers On SI) 2026-09-17]. That makes this an even PPR call rather than a clear lean: Lloyd's upside is real, but his lack of passing-game involvement can erase it, while Freiermuth's risk is a low-volume Steelers offense against a difficult tight-end matchup.

What flips it: A confirmed pass-game role for Lloyd, or a larger target projection for Freiermuth.

Sources: Yahoo Sports · Sep 14, 2026 · SI.com (Steelers On SI) · Sep 17, 2026

AI editor

In standard scoring this flips to Lloyd.

MarShawn Lloyd

MarShawn Lloyd

RB33GBvs NYJ

Projected Points

Toss-Up· medium
Pat Freiermuth

Pat Freiermuth

TE24PITvs NE

Projected Points

Sit

MarShawn Lloyd’s market

RUSH YDS
O/U 49.5
-113 / -111
REC
O/U 1.5
+150 / -193
REC YDS
O/U 6.5
-118 / -106
ATD
Anytime TD
+135

Pat Freiermuth’s market

REC
O/U 3.5
+103 / -131
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 31.5
-111 / -113
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+380
Anytime Touchdown Props →
GB@
NYJSun, Sep 20, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
PIT@
NESun, Sep 20, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

Why MarShawn Lloyd

Toss-Up· medium

RB1-listed change-of-pace back. Explosive burst and receiving upside; minimal NFL sample due to injuries.

Owns 100% of the rushing-play snaps on a 5.5-point favorite, but RB33 at 11.2 with a 3% target share is pure flex — zero pass-game floor.

  • Lloyd controls the rushing work, so a positive script can turn his change-of-pace explosiveness into a useful flex result.
  • His receiving upside remains untapped; even a small pass-game role would materially improve the floor.

The call

  • Role is the bull case: per Yahoo (9/14), Lloyd took all 13 of Green Bay's rushing-play snaps in Week 1 on a 44% snap share, so the carries funnel through him.
  • Game script helps — a 24.0 implied total and a -5.5 spread point to a lead Green Bay can grind out, which means late-game handoffs.
  • The cap is receiving work: 3% target share, seven pass-pro snaps and no catches means his PPR floor lives entirely on rushing volume and touchdown luck.
  • Matchup grades tough (DvP 3 of 32, with 32 softest), but that's a one-game sample at 0.00 confidence — don't bench him on it. If he holds the full rush-snap share, he's a startable flex; if Green Bay splits the backfield, sit him.

Latest on Lloyd

Role

Lloyd played 30 snaps in the Week 1 opener and got all 13 of the team's rushing-play snaps (13 carries), but only saw 16 passing-down snaps and pass-protected on just seven plays with no catches.

Yahoo Sports · Sep 14, 2026
Expectations for Packers' MarShawn Lloyd with Josh Jacobs out

Lloyd is finally healthy and Josh Jacobs is on the commissioner exempt list, but how much of a workload can Lloyd handle in Week 1?

ESPN · Sep 9, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Why Pat Freiermuth

Sit

TE1 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 dependable hands and red-zone size give him a touchdown path even when Pittsburgh's offense stalls.
  • His primary-target role should hold if Pittman's availability becomes an issue, preserving his route-based floor.

Latest on Freiermuth

Status

Freiermuth is positioned to remain a primary target in Week 2 after catching all five of his targets for 46 yards and the offense's only touchdown in Week 1, especially if Pittman is limited or out.

SI.com (Steelers On SI) · Sep 17, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricMarShawn LloydPat Freiermuth
Projected points
Consensus rankRB33TE24
Opponent vs positionNYJ · 3 of 321-game sampleNE · 2 of 321-game sample
Rushing Yards3 of 32—
Rushing TDs1 of 32—
Rushing Attempts1 of 32—
Receptions8 of 322 of 32
Receiving Yards6 of 322 of 32
Anytime TD1 of 321 of 32
Receiving TDs—1 of 32
Targets—2 of 32
Target share3%14%
Reception share0%21%
Implied total · spread24.0-5.519.5+4.5
Depth chartRB1TE2
Snap share44%73%
Start/Sit record0–1+1 toss-up—

Recent form

MarShawn Lloyd — last 1 week

Week 1vs MIN

Pat Freiermuth — last 1 week

Week 1vs ATL

Signal breakdown

  • 11.2 vs 8.5 projected PPR pointsMarShawn Lloyd +
  • Rank 33 vs 24Pat Freiermuth +
  • Opponent DvP rank 3 vs 2 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 24.0 vs 19.5 team pointsMarShawn Lloyd +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 44% vs 73% snap sharePat Freiermuth +

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