Who Should I Start? Jonnu Smith or Theo Johnson

Friday, October 17, 9:35 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith caught three of his six targets for 28 yards and a touchdown in Thursday night's 33-31 loss at Cincinnati. It was Smith's first touchdown since Week 1 and also tied for the most targets in a game since then. Smith didn't have the flashiest night among Pittsburgh tight ends, with Pat Freiermuth exploding for 111 yards and two touchdowns on five catches. They both took advantage of a leaky Bengals defense, and one that struggled against tight ends. Still, the weekly volume isn't high for Smith, and he's reliant on finding the end zone to return fantasy value.

Saturday, October 18, 2:55 AM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson is a risky, touchdown-dependent TE2 for Week 7 due to an extremely difficult road matchup against the stout Denver Broncos defense. Johnson has been a red-zone weapon for rookie QB Jaxson Dart, accounting for all three of Dart's career passing touchdowns, but the Broncos are the 4th-ranked fantasy defense against tight ends, allowing a paltry 4.6 Fantasy Points Per Game. Denver's overall defense ranks 2nd in the NFL, giving up only 15.8 points per game, and they are especially brutal in the red zone, ranking 1st with a 28.6% Defense Red Zone TD Rate. With an average of only 7.4 yards per reception this season and coming off a mere 27-yard performance in Week 6, Johnson needs a fourth touchdown since Dart took over just to provide value.