Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Ja'Tavion Sanders
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 21.5 | 0.1 |
Jonnu Smith News
Wednesday, March 4, 2:14 PM
The Pittsburgh Steelers are releasing tight end Jonnu Smith on Wednesday, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The move will save the Steelers $7 million against the salary cap, and Smith will now become an unrestricted free agent. Smith, 30, was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2024 with the Miami Dolphins, putting up career-highs in catches (88), targets (111), receiving yards (884), and touchdowns (eight) in 17 games. He came crashing back down to Earth in 2025 with Pittsburgh while sharing targets with Pat Freiermuth, though, as he finished with only 38 receptions for 222 yards and two touchdowns on 54 targets in 17 regular-season games. Smith may never be as good as he was in 2024 in Miami, but a move out of the Steel City is a good thing for his fantasy value going into the 2026 campaign. Smith's departure is also great news for Freiermuth's ceiling.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Ja'Tavion Sanders News
Wednesday, February 18, 10:06 AM
Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (fibula) missed the end of 2025 after being placed on IR. He still appeared in 13 games throughout the course of the regular season, amassing 29 catches, 190 yards, and one touchdown. This was a significant step back from his rookie campaign in 2024, when he was the TE36 in PPR leagues with 33 catches, 342 yards, and a trip to the end zone. The Panthers simply haven't placed much emphasis on utilizing the tight end position in the passing game in recent years, so even though Sanders has been atop the depth chart, he hasn't carved out a significant receiving role. That's unlikely to change in 2026, so he's not a particularly intriguing target in redraft leagues. However, he's worth holding and stashing in dynasty leagues because he's still a young, talented player with long-term upside in a more appropriate scheme.
Jonnu Smith vs. Ja'Tavion Sanders
Still trying to decide between Smith and Sanders? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jonnu Smith is projected to score 5.3 points this week while Ja'Tavion Sanders is projected to score 0.0 points.
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