Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Noah Gray

Friday, September 12, 9:57 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith led the team in designed targets in Week 1, per Fantasy Points Data. Despite an inefficient outing, he salvaged his day by scoring on an end-around from inside the five-yard line. Smith drew four designed looks, ranking ahead of notable receivers such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers, and Travis Hunter. The Steelers acquired Smith this offseason, reuniting him with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who helped rejuvenate his career during their time together in Atlanta. In Week 2, Smith draws a matchup with Seattle -- a defense that finished middle of the pack against tight ends in 2024. With Pat Freiermuth still in the mix, Smith's role remains capped, making him difficult to trust outside of deeper leagues. He's more of a touchdown-dependent flier than a reliable fantasy starter heading into Pittsburgh's home opener.

Friday, August 8, 10:40 AM

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray has looked very strong in training camp and is receiving strong buzz from reports. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated noted that the tight end looks like a "high-end" starter. Throughout his four-year career in Kansas City, Gray has typically taken the backseat to future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce. However, after catching just 28 passes in both 2022 and 2023, Gray was able to enjoy a mini-breakout season in 2024. Last fall, Gray caught a career-best 40 passes for 437 yards and five touchdowns. He enjoyed productive stretch from Weeks 10 through 15 when he averaged a solid 10.2 PPR points per game. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his progression early in the season as he could continue to carve out a role behind Kelce. However, for now, Kelce remains the clear TE1 in Kansas City. Gray is best viewed as a high-upside TE3 in deeper formats.