Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Ian Thomas

Tuesday, September 16, 7:15 PM

Through two weeks of the 2025 campaign, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith has caught nine passes for 42 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. While the production hasn't popped for fantasy yet, Smith's usage in his first year as a Steeler is encouraging. In addition to besting teammate Pat Freiermuth in snaps and routes run, Smith is averaging three designed opportunities per game, the most of any tight end in the NFL. Pittsburgh's offense still needs to find its rhythm before Smith can be trusted every week, but he's firmly on the streaming radar. The ninth-year pro carries some PPR upside in Week 3 against the New England Patriots.

Tuesday, March 25, 1:32 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Tuesday that they signed free-agent tight end Ian Thomas (calf) to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday. Thomas will head to the AFC West after spending the first seven years of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers after they selected him in the fourth round (101st overall) in the 2018 NFL draft out of Indiana. The 28-year-old never really established himself as a fantasy asset in Carolina, with his best season coming in his rookie campaign with a 36-333-2 line on 49 targets in 16 games (six starts). Thomas landed on Injured Reserve in 2024 with a calf injury and only caught three of six targets for seven yards in five games (two starts). He scored four touchdowns in his first three seasons but hasn't found the end zone since. In Vegas, he'll provide TE depth behind Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer and will remain off the fantasy radar.