Who Should I Start? Eric Saubert or Durham Smythe

Saturday, January 4, 12:15 AM

San Francisco 49ers backup tight end Eric Saubert could make his fourth start of the season in Week 18 at the Arizona Cardinals. Starter George Kittle (ankle, hamstring) is listed as questionable. To date in 2024, Saubert has caught seven of nine targets for 80 yards and a touchdown. Saubert's fantasy ceiling was established in Week 2 of 2022 when he caught one of two targets for a 22-yard touchdown as a member of the Denver Broncos. The eighth-year pro has been a career fantasy nonfactor, though in Week 16 at Miami -- with Kittle on the field -- he caught his third-career touchdown. Arizona has allowed the fourth-fewest half-PPR points per game to tight ends. If Kittle plays, Saubert is unplayable. He's barely more than that if Kittle sits, other than as a bargain-bin DFS shot-in-the-dark.

Tuesday, March 12, 1:14 PM

The Miami Dolphins restructured the contracts of tight end Durham Smythe, fullback Alec Ingold and defensive tackle Zach Sieler on Monday. Coupled with the conversion on cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the Dolphins were able to clear $28.78 million to get under the 2024 salary cap. The 28-year-old Smythe is a blocking first tight end who also served as the team's primary pass-catching tight end in 2023, finishing the year with 35 receptions on 43 targets for 366 yards and no touchdowns. Tight ends haven't been a big part of head coach Mike McDaniels' offense, and there's no reason to expect that to change entering the 2024 season. Smythe should be avoided in most fantasy drafts this fall after the Dolphins added Jonnu Smith to the TE room this offseason.