Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Jake Ferguson

Thursday, September 5, 4:04 PM

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith will square up against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday in the Dolphins' home opener. It's Smith's first season in Miami after a one-year stint in Atlanta, and while he's never been the focal point of an offense, he has proven to be an average to above-average NFL TE. 2023 was his most productive season, setting career-highs in receptions (50) and yards (582) while playing alongside Kyle Pitts. It remains to be seen what his usage will be in his new offense, though the Dolphins used their tight ends extensively in the preseason, and he's one of the more athletic ones in the league. Additionally, with River Cracraft and Odell Beckham Jr. to miss the first four games of the season on the PUP, Smith could be used more often in the early going. If he performs well, he might develop a role in the offense. The eighth-year veteran is RotoBaller's TE22 in Week 1 rankings and is currently a fitter option in two TE or DFS leagues.

Thursday, September 5, 5:25 PM

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson had a solid season last year, finishing as the overall fantasy TE10. He's set for a similar or perhaps even bigger role this year after the departure of running back Tony Pollard. Ferguson was 10th in receiving yards per game among tight ends and 17th in yards per route run. He could see more short passes going his way this season, making him an excellent floor play with some upside each week. Week 1, however, could be a difficult one as the Cleveland Browns defense limited opposing tight ends to the fewest receiving yards last season and the second-fewest fantasy points. Ferguson is a low-end TE1 for Week 1 with brighter outlooks ahead.