Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Brenton Strange

Sunday, August 31, 3:42 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith is reunited with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith for a third time, a partnership that has historically produced fantasy-relevant results. Smith said of his OC: "We've had a lot of success together. He will continue to move that needle, bring the best out of you, and demand the best from you. It's why we get along so well." Last year with the Miami Dolphins, Smith posted the best season of his career, with 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. However, in his previous stint with Arthur Smith in Atlanta, he caught 50 passes for 582 yards and three touchdowns, which was his prior best. While the Steelers have other talented pass-catchers, including tight end Pat Freiermuth, Smith's offense has historically used multiple tight-end formations more than any other team. RotoBaller currently ranks the 30-year-old as a mid-range TE2 (ranked TE20) with potential for increased production due to his familiarity with the system. Smith's history with the offense and a strong preseason make him a solid late-round tight end target and a potential starter if needed.

Friday, August 15, 5:12 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange was one of the players who "got the highest volume of targets from Trevor Lawrence" during training camp practice on Friday, according to John Shipley of SI.com. Strange found the end zone and put forth an impressive display of consistency. However, Shipley also notes that it was a light day of practice, so fantasy managers should take it with a grain of salt. He flashed "serious speed to beat the secondary after the catch on an impressive deep throw from Lawrence during team drills." The 24-year-old caught his only target for 11 yards in the preseason opener last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Evan Engram out of town, has a real opportunity for a breakout season. Strange had a 40-411-2 line in 17 games (10 starts) in his second season in 2024. RotoBaller has him ranked as the TE21 for fantasy purposes.