Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Mike Gesicki


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

Jonnu Smith News

Packers Signing Tight End Jonnu Smith to One-Year Deal

Thursday, August 27, 8:16 AM

The Green Bay Packers are signing former Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, sources told Jordan Schultz. Smith is one of the league's most respected veterans, and he has recorded 345 career catches and 30 touchdowns in his nine years in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers will be Smith's fourth different team in the last four years. The former third-rounder in 2017 by the Titans out of Florida International had a career year in Miami in 2024, catching 88 of 111 targets for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games, but he cratered to a 38-222-2 line in 17 regular-season games last year in Pittsburgh while sharing work with Pat Freiermuth. With Luke Musgrave (neck) on the Physically Unable to Perform list, the 31-year-old should become Green Bay's TE2 behind Tucker Kraft (knee), who is coming off a torn ACL last year. Smith is unlikely to have standalone fantasy value with the Packers unless Kraft misses more time with an injury, but his presence is not great news for Kraft's potential breakout in 2026.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
6.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 25.1 0.2

Mike Gesicki News

Mike Gesicki Sliding Toward Streaming Territory

Friday, August 28, 9:53 AM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki has made enough plays this summer to stay involved, but not enough to strengthen his redraft case. Gesicki caught 28 of 42 targets for 307 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games last season after a pectoral injury cost him four games. He has flashed in camp, including a contested catch during the August 16 two-minute drill, a 17-yard reception and another third-down grab from Joe Burrow on August 18, and a red-zone touchdown against Chicago two days later. The problem is still volume. Cincinnati's current depth chart lists Drew Sample ahead of Gesicki, while Erick All Jr. is back from ACL surgery and Tanner Hudson remains part of a deep rotation. Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown also sit well ahead of the tight ends in the target hierarchy. Gesicki showed he can produce with more opportunity when he caught 65 passes for 665 yards in 2024, but that workload is difficult to project with the offense healthy. RotoBaller currently ranks him TE28, leaving him better suited for matchup-based streaming than a standard redraft roster spot.


Jonnu Smith vs. Mike Gesicki

Still trying to decide between Smith and Gesicki? 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 0.0 points this week while Mike Gesicki is projected to score 6.0 points.