Fantasy Football Player Notes

His first seven NFL seasons were unremarkable, but Jonnu Smith authored a stunning fantasy breakout in Year 8, establishing career highs in targets (111), catches (88), receiving yards (884) and touchdowns (8). Smith finished TE4 in overall PPR fantasy scoring and TE5 in fantasy points per game. Smith went nuclear late in the season, averaging 6.9 catches and 67.1 yards per game from Week 11 on. He scored seven TDs in those eight games and was TE1 in PPR fantasy scoring over that stretch, averaging 18.6 points per game. But a trade in late June sent Smith to the Steelers, where he'll share TE targets with Pat Freiermuth. That isn't necessarily a fantasy death sentence, since Steelers OC Arthur Smith loves using his tight ends, and the Steelers don't have much firepower. Still, it's hard to see a path for Smith to remain a top-10 fantasy tight end.

The Steelers have little proven talent at wide receiver beyond new acquisition D.K. Metcalf, but Pat Freiermuth's 2025 target outlook is jeopardized by the arrival of TE Jonnu Smith, who went from Miami to Pittsburgh in a late-June trade. Freiermuth had 65 catches for 653 yards and seven touchdowns last year, finishing TE10 in half-point PPR fantasy scoring. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is a former TE coach who likes to keep his tight ends prominently involved. The problem is that Smith like to use multiple tight ends, and Smith is coming off a strong season with the Dolphins.