Pat Freiermuth's Saturday Calf Injury is a Fantasy Nightmare, Even if the Steelers are 'Optimistic'

Nothing ruins a peaceful Saturday quite like a late addition to the NFL injury report. The Pittsburgh Steelers casually dropped tight end Pat Freiermuth onto the questionable list with a calf issue just 24 hours before kickoff, though insider Ian Rapoport reports the team is optimistic he will suit up.

"Optimistic" is a fun word when you are talking about the weather, but it is absolutely terrifying when you are trying to set a fantasy lineup or lock in a player prop. A Saturday calf injury usually means a guy tweaked something walking to his car or stepping off the practice field, which is not exactly the medical update you want for a 258-pound man whose job involves blocking defensive ends.

"Ian Rapoport reported the Steelers are 'optimistic' Freiermuth will play."

Freiermuth has been a reliable safety blanket for Pittsburgh this season, hauling in 19 catches for 169 yards and four touchdowns through five games. He is currently sitting as a fringe top-12 tight end in most fantasy formats, making this sudden questionable tag a massive headache for anyone relying on him in Week 6.

The Steelers are set to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the early Sunday window, which is the only silver lining here. If Freiermuth wakes up and that calf is barking too loud to play, at least fans and bettors will know before the 1:00 PM Eastern kickoffs lock everything in.

If the optimism fades and Freiermuth sits, expect massive human being Darnell Washington to see more targets over the middle. Until those inactives drop on Sunday morning, keep your backup plans ready and maybe avoid trusting a Saturday calf muscle with your hard-earned money.