Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Two catches against Minnesota
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Smith secured two of three targets for six yards during Sunday's 24-21 win over the Vikings.
Smith was unable to practice fully ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 4 matchup due to a hip injury, but he played through the issue in Dublin. The 2017 third-rounder was held to single-digit yards for the first time this season while playing just 25 percent of the team's offensive snaps, which was his lowest mark of the season by a considerable margin. It seems possible that Smith's role was limited by his injury, but he'll be able to recover during the Steelers' Week 5 bye.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Questionable for Week 4
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Smith (hip) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Vikings, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
Smith logged a pair of limited practices Thursday and Friday following a DNP due to rest Wednesday. If the veteran tight end is unable to play in Dublin, Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington would handle tight-end duties for Pittsburgh. Smith is averaging a career-worst 5.4 yards per catch this season but does have 12 grabs for 65 yards and one touchdown through three games.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Dealing with hip injury
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Smith (hip/rest) was limited in Thursday's practice.
The hip issue is new for Smith after he was listed as a DNP due to rest only Wednesday. However, the limited practice would suggest Smith has a chance to play Sunday morning against the Vikings unless he was injured in Thursday's session. If Smith were unable to go, Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington would handle tight-end duties for the Steelers.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: TEs to Sit
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Smith scored a touchdown in Week 1 against the Jets, but he's combined for 12 catches for 60 yards on 13 targets in three games this season. There appears to be little upside for Smith, especially heading into Week 4 against Minnesota in Ireland. The Vikings defense should be able to keep Smith in check, and he's not worth starting in the majority of leagues.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Three catches against Patriots
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Smith secured all three of his targets for 23 yards during Sunday's 21-14 win over New England.
Smith was on the field for 83 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps Sunday. However, the team had a lackluster performance through the air, and the tight end wasn't particularly productive. He also narrowly avoided disaster with the game tied in the fourth quarter, as he fumbled but the ball went out of bounds. Smith has led Pittsburgh's tight ends in snaps over the first three weeks of the regular season, and he's secured 12 of 13 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown compared to Pat Freiermuth's 7-65-0 line on 10 targets.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: TEs to Sit
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Smith scored a touchdown in Week 1 at the Jets, but he's combined for nine catches for 42 yards on 10 targets through two games. Pat Freiermuth is still a factor for the Steelers, and Smith might need a touchdown to save his Fantasy production. This isn't a difficult matchup for Smith, but his role is tough to trust. He's only worth starting in deeper leagues in Week 3.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Splits targets with Freiermuth
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Smith recorded four receptions on four targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 31-17 loss to the Seahawks.
Smith saw his role as a pass catcher even out with Pat Freiermuth, as both tight ends earned four targets. As was the case in Week 1, Smith was used on short and quick passes with the goal of picking up yards after the catch. Smith's longest gain of the day went for only nine yards, and he has just 42 total yards on nine catches for the campaign.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: TEs to Sit
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I like that Smith had six targets and five catches and got a pop pass at the 3-yard line for a touchdown in Week 1 at the Jets, but he only had 15 receiving yards. It's worth stashing Smith on your bench, but I'd like to see more from Smith before starting him in the majority of leagues. Seattle did allow two touchdowns to tight ends in Week 1 for the 49ers, but this game should be all about DK Metcalf for the Steelers as he's facing his former team.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Week 2 Waiver Priority List
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Smith only had 15 receiving yards in Week 1 at the Jets, but he had six targets, five catches and caught a touchdown on a pop pass from the 3-yard line. The Steelers are searching for a No. 2 target behind DK Metcalf, and Smith could be that guy. He's coming off a huge season in Miami in 2024 with 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns on 111 targets, and this was a good debut in Pittsburgh. Smith is worth adding in all leagues for at least 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Finds end zone in team debut
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Smith secured five of six targets for 15 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 34-32 win over the Jets.
Although Smith didn't have a particularly efficient performance during his team debut Sunday, he led the Steelers in receptions while reaching the end zone just before halftime. Smith was on the field for 66 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps, which outpaced fellow tight end Pat Freiermuth, who played 50 percent of the snaps. While the duo will likely continue to split some playing time this year, Smith is coming off a career-best season with the Dolphins in 2024 in which he secured 88 of 111 targets for 884 yards and eight touchdowns, and he has some fantasy upside in 2025 if he can establish a rapport with Aaron Rodgers.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Ready for Week 1
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Smith (knee) is not listed on Wednesday's injury report, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
Smith missed time early August due to a knee injury, but he returned to practice Aug. 20 and is now at full health as Sunday's regular-season opener against the Jets approaches. Fresh off a career-best campaign in which he tallied an 88-884-8 receiving line across 17 regular-season appearances with the Dolphins, Smith is now positioned to work alongside Pat Freiermuth as one of the Steelers' top tight ends. While the Steelers don't have much in the way of proven pass-catches for quarterback Aaron Rodgers behind WR DK Metcalf, the fact that Smith and Freiermuth will split snaps is a notable barrier to either tight end surfacing as a consistent weekly fantasy option.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Returns to practice
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Smith (knee) returned to practice Saturday, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
Smith left practice early Aug. 5 and hasn't done much since then, but his return for the first practice after Pittsburgh's final preseason game suggests he's on track to play Week 1 against the Jets. Uncertainty about his role remains the larger concern for fantasy, with Pat Freiermuth offering tough competition for playing time in single-TE formations.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Not practicing
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Smith (knee) missed practice Tuesday, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
The tight end made an early exit from practice last Tuesday, but Steelers coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the issue and Smith took part in a light, non-padded practice the following day. It seems he's still being held out from more strenuous sessions, however. Smith has plenty of time to get right before Week 1, at which point he and Pat Freiermuth will form one of the better TE duos in the league.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Won't play against Jaguars
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Coach Mike Tomlin said Thursday that Smith is among the players who won't play in Saturday's preseason opener against the Jaguars, Missi Matthews of the Steelers' official site reports.
The same goes for QB Aaron Rodgers, WR DK Metcalf, RB Jaylen Warren and TE Pat Freiermuth, as the Steelers plan to rest their key starters Saturday, unlike the Jaguars. After leaving Tuesday's practice due to knee soreness, Smith was back on the field Wednesday, which puts him in a position to be available for the team's Aug. 16 contest against the Buccaneers.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Back at practice already
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Smith (knee) is participating in Wednesday's non-padded practice, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.
Even if the practice is just a walk-through, it's a good sign for Smith to be participating in any capacity just one day after exiting early due to knee soreness. A quick return to the field supports coach Mike Tomlin's statement from Tuesday that the knee issue didn't look serious. The real concern for Smith's fantasy value remains target share, with Pat Freiermuth offering fierce competition for snaps in single-TE formations.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Bothered by knee soreness
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Smith left Tuesday's practice due to knee soreness, but Steelers coach Mike Tomlin indicated the issue doesn't seem serious, Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live reports.
Smith walked off the field with a trainer before the final period of Tuesday's practice. Not long after, Tomlin downplayed the injury when talking with reporters. Fellow tight end Darnell Washington should get more first-team reps alongside Pat Freiermuth if Smith ends up missing further time.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Exits practice early
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Smith left Tuesday's practice early with a trainer, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.
It sounds like he'll miss the final period of practice but didn't have any trouble walking off the field. Smith and Pat Freiermuth give Aaron Rodgers an impressive duo of pass catchers at tight end, but it's a situation that might not work out well in terms of either player getting enough targets to offer much fantasy value.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Returns to practice
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Smith (undisclosed) did team drills at practice Sunday, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
A minor, unspecified injury limited Smith's involvement in the first few practices of training camp. The real concern for this season is how snaps and targets will be split between him and fellow Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth, after Smith came over from Miami in a late June trade.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Not doing much at practice
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Smith (undisclosed) did limited individual drills at Friday's practice, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Thursday that Smith is considered day to day with an unspecified injury. Acquired in a late-June trade, Smith has only done light individual work during his first two practices in Pittsburgh. He and Pat Freiermuth give the Steelers an impressive pass-catching duo at tight end, but it remains to be seen if one of the two can take a large enough share of the targets to be worth starting in fantasy. Smith caught fire for Miami last October and stayed hot through the end of the year, ultimately catching more passes over the final eight games (53) than he'd caught in any of his previous seven NFL seasons (max. 50). His second-best receiving campaign was the year before, 2023 in Atlanta, where he put up 50-582-3 on 70 targets under current Steelers playcaller Arthur Smith.
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Steelers' Jonnu Smith: Considered day-to-day
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Smith (undisclosed) didn't participate in team drills during Thursday's practice, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
The report notes that Smith worked in individual drills, with coach Mike Tomlin noting that the tight end is considered "day-to-day" with an unspecified injury. Once Smith is able to work fully, he'll look to build chemistry with QB Aaron Rodgers, while working as part of the Steelers' one-two TE punch, which also features Pat Freiermuth.
