Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Mike Gesicki

Friday, November 21, 8:41 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith failed to catch a single pass in Week 11, marking his first game without a reception since Week 4 of last season. Though the matchup against the Chicago Bears is favorable, there is little reason to expect Smith to bounce back to fantasy relevance in Week 12. The Steelers remain unpredictable in how they deploy their tight ends, with Smith, Pat Freiermuth, and Darnell Washington all playing significant snaps. It is clear, however, that Smith's fantasy value is entirely touchdown-dependent, as he has topped 20 receiving yards just four times this year. As the TE29 in RotoBaller's Week 12 rankings, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a streaming option.

Thursday, November 27, 12:12 AM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki made his return from a stint on the Injured Reserve list for the Week 12 loss to the New England Patriots. While he didn't do much for fantasy managers, he didn't play horribly, finishing with four grabs for 35 yards. Of course, Ja'Marr Chase wasn't available for that one due to suspension. However, with Tee Higgins (concussion) sidelined, there should be more targets up for grabs from quarterback Joe Burrow (toe), who will make his return after being sidelined since the Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Granted, the expectation is for Burrow and Chase to connect often. However, Gesicki's ceiling is still slightly higher than usual on Thanksgiving Night without Higgins in the lineup, giving him some credibility for those in desperate need of a tight end in Week 13.