Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Tanner Hudson

Thursday, September 5, 4:04 PM

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith will square up against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday in the Dolphins' home opener. It's Smith's first season in Miami after a one-year stint in Atlanta, and while he's never been the focal point of an offense, he has proven to be an average to above-average NFL TE. 2023 was his most productive season, setting career-highs in receptions (50) and yards (582) while playing alongside Kyle Pitts. It remains to be seen what his usage will be in his new offense, though the Dolphins used their tight ends extensively in the preseason, and he's one of the more athletic ones in the league. Additionally, with River Cracraft and Odell Beckham Jr. to miss the first four games of the season on the PUP, Smith could be used more often in the early going. If he performs well, he might develop a role in the offense. The eighth-year veteran is RotoBaller's TE22 in Week 1 rankings and is currently a fitter option in two TE or DFS leagues.

Friday, March 15, 12:20 PM

Free-agent tight end Tanner Hudson is re-signing with the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday on an undisclosed one-year deal, according to a source. In his first year in Cincinnati last season, Hudson caught a career-high 39 passes for 352 yards and one touchdown on 50 targets in 12 games played (one start). His previous career-high in receptions came the previous season with the New York Giants, when he had just 10 catches. The 29-year-old ended up being the team's top pass-catching tight end a season ago due to the struggles of Irv Smith Jr., who has since moved on to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals signed Mike Gesicki in free agency and also brought back Drew Sample, so it will be an uphill battle for Hudson to lead the Bengals in receiving for a second year in a row at the position in 2024.