Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Michael Mayer

Saturday, November 15, 12:17 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith had his worst showing of the season in Week 10 and will hope to be more involved against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11. This matchup is as good as it gets for fantasy tight ends, as the Bengals have surrendered the most fantasy points, the most yards, and the most touchdowns to the position this season. When these division rivals met in Week 7, all three of Smith, Pat Freiermuth, and Darnell Washington found the end zone in a shootout. With Sunday's contest once again expected to be high-scoring, Smith could see additional looks from quarterback Aaron Rodgers as both offenses fight to keep pace. His floor remains extremely low, but fantasy managers can consider Smith as a streaming option with a fair amount of touchdown upside this week.

Thursday, November 6, 10:08 AM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer lost his starting role in Week 9 with the return of Brock Bowers, but he remained involved in the offense. Despite operating as the TE2, Mayer caught three of seven targets for 26 yards in the 30-29 loss to Jacksonville. Notably, he still played 83% of the snaps as Las Vegas used 12 personnel (two-tight-end sets) on 58.3% of their plays, which is their highest rate this season. With Jakobi Meyers now in Jacksonville, the Raiders are likely to continue leaning on heavier formations, which should keep Mayer on the field. However, the matchup is difficult this week. Denver has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to tight ends, but their strong pass rush could force Mayer into increased blocking duties rather than receiving work. Mayer should remain on fantasy benches in Week 10.