Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Mason Taylor

Monday, January 6, 10:34 AM

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith caught nine of 12 targets for 56 yards in their 32-20 season finale loss to the New York Jets. Smith was a huge bright spot for the Dolphins offense in the second half of the season after Tua Tagovailoa returned from his discussion. In the postgame press conference, he admitted that players were watching the scoreboard and saw the Denver Broncos pummeling the Kansas City Chiefs, crushing their playoff hopes. With the 29-year-old on a one-year deal, his future with the Dolphins is uncertain, but his performance and reliability can't go unnoticed. If he returns to Miami next season, he will surely be a top TE option for fantasy drafts in 2025.

Tuesday, April 29, 4:39 PM

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that rookie second-round tight end Mason Taylor will immediately walk into the Jets building at the top of the tight end depth chart going into his rookie season in 2025. Jeremy Ruckert projects as the No. 2, but he has yet to make an impact since the Jets drafted him in 2022. The Jets are at least hoping he can take a step forward as a blocker and contribute in the running game. The 20-year-old Taylor not only will be a starter immediately, but he could see plenty of targets from quarterback Justin Fields in his first year in the NFL, giving him TE1 fantasy upside in 2025. Outside of WR1 Garrett Wilson, the Jets don't exactly star-studded receiving depth in Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard and Arian Smith. Taylor will have intriguing rookie upside, but he'll still be better off drafted as a TE2 sleeper than a staple for those in single-TE leagues.