Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or George Kittle

Friday, September 12, 9:57 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith led the team in designed targets in Week 1, per Fantasy Points Data. Despite an inefficient outing, he salvaged his day by scoring on an end-around from inside the five-yard line. Smith drew four designed looks, ranking ahead of notable receivers such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers, and Travis Hunter. The Steelers acquired Smith this offseason, reuniting him with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who helped rejuvenate his career during their time together in Atlanta. In Week 2, Smith draws a matchup with Seattle -- a defense that finished middle of the pack against tight ends in 2024. With Pat Freiermuth still in the mix, Smith's role remains capped, making him difficult to trust outside of deeper leagues. He's more of a touchdown-dependent flier than a reliable fantasy starter heading into Pittsburgh's home opener.

Tuesday, September 9, 1:15 PM

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the San Francisco 49ers are placing tight end George Kittle (hamstring) on the injured reserve. As a result, Kittle will miss at least the next four games. The star tight end suffered this injury during their Week 1 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Before exiting the contest, Kittle caught all four of his targets for 25 yards and a touchdown. When he was sidelined, Kittle was replaced by Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears he will be sidelined for at least the next month. While he remains out, fantasy managers should expect Farrell to see most of the blocking work while Tonges takes on most of the receiving work. Tonges caught all three of his targets for 15 yards and appears to be in the lead role to take on most of Kittle's offensive production. He is worth targeting in deep 14+ team formats on the waiver wire.