Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Noah Fant

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.

Saturday, November 22, 1:49 PM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant has enjoyed an uptick in production of late. He scored a touchdown in two of his previous four appearances. The 28-year-old is also coming off his second five-catch game of the season. With that said, Mike Gesicki (pectoral) was activated from the Injured Reserve list and is set to make his return for Sunday's matchup with the Patriots. With Ja'Marr Chase sidelined for that one in order to serve a one-game suspension, there will be additional targets up for grabs behind Tee Higgins. Although Gesicki is reportedly in line for a more prominent role in Week 12, it appears Fant has a good thing going with Joe Flacco, meaning the duo may continue to connect. While Gesicki's presence significantly lowers Fants' ceiling, it's hard to imagine he'll go away completely, giving him some upside for desperate, deep-league fantasy managers.