Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Brenton Strange

Friday, November 21, 8:41 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith failed to catch a single pass in Week 11, marking his first game without a reception since Week 4 of last season. Though the matchup against the Chicago Bears is favorable, there is little reason to expect Smith to bounce back to fantasy relevance in Week 12. The Steelers remain unpredictable in how they deploy their tight ends, with Smith, Pat Freiermuth, and Darnell Washington all playing significant snaps. It is clear, however, that Smith's fantasy value is entirely touchdown-dependent, as he has topped 20 receiving yards just four times this year. As the TE29 in RotoBaller's Week 12 rankings, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a streaming option.

Wednesday, November 26, 10:07 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange returned from the Injured Reserve in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals and showed no signs of rust. He converted on all five of his targets for 93 receiving yards. Strange has always been a favorite target of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and given their history together, Strange provides a reasonable floor as a tight end in PPR formats. His upside will be limited by the cluttered pass-catching room that now includes Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle), Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and Strange. And while Lawrence is not the type of quarterback to make all of those pass-catchers a great fantasy play weekly, Strange's rapport with Lawrence provides a floor that makes him worth an add if you are struggling at the tight end position or lost Tucker Kraft (knee) or Sam LaPorta (back) to injury. Fantasy teams in a pinch, deep leagues, or even two flex spots can also consider Strange for that role. On the season, he's hauled in 25 of his 29 receptions for 297 yards in six games (one of which he was injured early on and did not return).