Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Ja'Tavion Sanders

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.

Thursday, October 16, 3:45 PM

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle) was upgraded from a limited participant in Wednesday's practice to a full participant on Thursday, suggesting that he's on the right track to return for a Week 7 tilt against the New York Jets. As long as the 22-year-old doesn't suffer a setback with his high-ankle sprain in Friday's practice, he'll have a good shot to put an end to his three-game absence. If Sanders is back out on the field this Sunday at MetLife Stadium, he should operate as Carolina's top pass-catching tight end, moving Tommy Tremble back into a blocking role. The Jets have allowed a league-high six touchdowns to the TE position this year, too, which would put Sanders immediately onto the TE2 streaming radar if he makes his return. Before his ankle injury, Sanders caught 11 of 14 targets for 92 yards and no touchdowns in three games.