Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Brock Bowers

Friday, October 17, 9:35 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith caught three of his six targets for 28 yards and a touchdown in Thursday night's 33-31 loss at Cincinnati. It was Smith's first touchdown since Week 1 and also tied for the most targets in a game since then. Smith didn't have the flashiest night among Pittsburgh tight ends, with Pat Freiermuth exploding for 111 yards and two touchdowns on five catches. They both took advantage of a leaky Bengals defense, and one that struggled against tight ends. Still, the weekly volume isn't high for Smith, and he's reliant on finding the end zone to return fantasy value.

Monday, October 20, 3:00 PM

Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers (knee) has missed the last three games as he recovers from the bone bruise and PCL injury he sustained in the season opener, but according to head coach Pete Carroll, he's expected to return to the field following the team's Week 8 bye. The Raiders are coming off one of the worst offensive performances in recent history, managing fewer than 100 total yards in a 31-0 shellacking from the Kansas City Chiefs, so for multiple reasons, the bye week comes at a good time. Bowers caught five of eight targets for 103 yards in Week 1, but was clearly limited in his next three outings, lacking his trademark explosiveness as he played with a knee brace. Rather than risk further injury, the team made the decision to shut him down until he's fully healthy, and he is now in line to play in Week 9 against the Jaguars. While he may need to work himself back into game shape, he should still be inserted right back into starting lineups, as the upside he offers at the position is practically unmatched across the league.