Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or T.J. Hockenson

Saturday, December 13, 1:48 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith has just five receptions over his past five games but will look to get more involved against his former team, the Miami Dolphins, in Week 15. This is an enticing matchup for Smith, as Miami has surrendered the third-most fantasy points per contest to opposing tight ends this season. While Smith's biggest concern remains his inconsistent utilization, he could draw additional looks on Monday night if fellow tight end Darnell Washington (concussion) is ruled out. The potential for cold temperatures and strong winds also works in Smith's favor, as he primarily operates near the line of scrimmage and generates yards after the catch. He's far from a reliable fantasy starter, but the 30-year-old could surprise in this revenge game and has some appeal as a streaming option in deeper leagues.

Friday, December 19, 4:10 PM

Coming off his best yardage output of the season last week, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson will see a tougher matchup in Week 16 when his team travels east to play the New York Giants. While the Giants are 2-12 and nobody's idea of stingy, they've been best against tight ends from a fantasy perspective. New York has struggled against other skill-position groups, but ranks eighth against PPR tight ends. Hockenson went for 66 yards on four catches last week at Dallas, but has been held under 40 receiving yards 10 times in 14 games as the Vikings have been erratic because of injuries and underperformance at quarterback. Second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy has looked significantly better in the past two weeks, but Hockenson has been quiet in so many games this year that managers should consider him a lower-end option with fantasy playoffs on deck.