DraftCall
DraftCallFantasy Football

Head to Head

Updated May 14, 2026 from live stats

Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs Pat Freiermuth

Fantasy Football Comparison for the 2026 NFL Season

The Bottom Line

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the better fantasy play this season.

Cross-position decisions depend on league format. In half-PPR, Jaxon Smith-Njigba (17.7 PPG) is the higher-floor play. Pat Freiermuth (6.2 PPG) could win a specific week on touchdown variance. For FLEX spots, lean toward the player with the softer defensive matchup that week rather than defaulting to season averages.

High confidence: stats strongly favor the leader, and the gap is unlikely to close on matchup alone.

Want this verdict updated live on Sunday?

The DraftCall app pushes alerts the moment Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Pat Freiermuth's status changes. Free.

Get the App
WRSeattle Seahawks#2PPG LEADER
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
PPG
17.7
Games
17
Rec
119
Rec Yds
1,793
Rec TDs
10
Targets
163
Bye
Week 8
TEPittsburgh Steelers#28
Pat Freiermuth
PPG
6.2
Games
15
Rec
41
Rec Yds
486
Rec TDs
4
Targets
54
Bye
Week 5

The Edge Chart

VolumeEfficiencyTD UpsideFloorCeilingDurability
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Pat Freiermuth

Head to Head

17.7 PPG6.2 PPG
17 GP15 GP
Bye: Week 8Bye: Week 5

Fantasy Tiers

Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Tier 1 (Elite) WR (ranked #2 at the position). Pat Freiermuth: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) TE (ranked #28 at the position). Comparing across positions, raw PPG is less useful than positional scarcity. A Tier 1 (Elite) WR is harder to replace on waivers than a Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) TE in most league formats.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs Pat Freiermuth: Who Should You Start?

Comparing Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR, Seattle Seahawks) against Pat Freiermuth (TE, Pittsburgh Steelers) means weighing two different roles in your fantasy lineup. Jaxon Smith-Njigba averaged 17.7 PPG in 2025 over 17 games, while Pat Freiermuth posted 6.2 PPG across 15 games.

Cross-position FLEX decisions cannot be made on PPG alone. Positional scarcity, matchup quality, floor versus ceiling, and league scoring format all shift the answer. A 14 PPG tight end in a thin TE week is often worth more than a 16 PPG receiver in a deep WR week, because the opportunity cost on the waiver wire is wildly different.

DraftCall's AI engine weighs all of these signals and returns a verdict with clear reasoning, so you are not cross-referencing four different rankings tabs on a Sunday morning.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has his bye in Week 8, Pat Freiermuth in Week 5. Plan your FLEX rotation around those weeks, especially if either player is anchoring your roster.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a buy in trades where the other manager is chasing upside at a different position. Pat Freiermuth is a hold unless you can flip him for a positional upgrade elsewhere on your roster. Dynasty outlook: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (age 24) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. Pat Freiermuth (age 27) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value.

Did You Know?

  • Jaxon Smith-Njigba outscored Pat Freiermuth by a projected 196 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
  • Jaxon Smith-Njigba played 17 games in 2025 compared to Pat Freiermuth's 15. That durability gap means Jaxon Smith-Njigba contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
  • Jaxon Smith-Njigba scored 10 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.6 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at wide receiver.
  • Jaxon Smith-Njigba saw 163 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the wide receiver position.
Detailed Stat Breakdown
StatSmith-NjigbaFreiermuth
PPG (Half-PPR)17.76.2
Games Played1715
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)30193
Receptions11941
Rec/Game7.02.7
Receiving Yards1,793486
Rec Yds/Game105.532.4
Receiving TDs104
Targets16354
Target Share/Game9.63.6
Age2427
Experience2 yrs4 yrs
Bye WeekWeek 8Week 5

Summary

17.7 PPG for Jaxon Smith-Njigba versus 6.2 for Pat Freiermuth in 2025. The baseline favors Jaxon Smith-Njigba, though the right weekly matchup can flip the script. For a full breakdown that weighs matchup quality, form, and injury reports, try DraftCall's AI comparison engine.

DraftCall app on iPhone

Website vs App

Get the AI verdict on Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs Pat Freiermuth

DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality, recent trends, injury impact, and game script to give you a clear start/sit recommendation.

See everything in the app →

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Pat Freiermuth in fantasy football?

Based on 2025 season averages, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has the edge at 17.7 PPG compared to Pat Freiermuth's 6.2 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Pat Freiermuth average in 2025?

Jaxon Smith-Njigba averaged 17.7 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 17 games in 2025. Pat Freiermuth averaged 6.2 PPG over 15 games. That is a difference of 11.5 points per game.

When are Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Pat Freiermuth's bye weeks in 2026?

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA) has a bye in Week 8, and Pat Freiermuth (PIT) has a bye in Week 5. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.