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TE Jonnu Smith, PIT (2 Viewers)

Jonnu Smith (knee) was added to the Titans' injury report on Thursday, missing practice with a knee issue. 

It's unclear if this is a new issue for Smith or merely management of his existing ailment. We would guess the latter, but be sure to double check Smith's status before Sunday night's likely shootout with the Packers. Smith is a boom/bust TE2 for the fantasy finals. 

Dec 24, 2020, 4:02 PM ET
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Jonnu Smith caught 1-of-2 targets for eight yards in the Titans' Week 17 win over the Texans. 

Smith heads into the postseason coming off his least productive effort since October. Smith appeared primed to be an every-week TE1 the first month of the season, but his production fell off a cliff following a few (supposedly) minor injuries. He will be a touchdown-or-bust option for playoff DFS after finding the end zone eight times in 15 regular season contests. 

- Rotoworld
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I honestly think the Titans medical staff was playing shenanigans. Jonnu doesn't seem like a player who'd people think was soft.

 
Titans general manager Jon Robison indicated Jonnu Smith and Corey Davis might sign elsewhere this offseason. 

Both Smith and Davis are unrestricted free agents who should see interest from several teams in the coming weeks and months. The uber-athletic Smith made the most of his limited opportunity in the run-heavy Tennessee offense, turning in his most productive season in 2020 (41 receptions and eight touchdowns). In a more pass-happy offense, Smith could finally become an every-week fantasy starter rather than a strictly touchdown-dependent option. Davis disappointed down the stretch in 2020 after a hot start -- mostly due to A.J. Brown being sidelined with a knee injury. Davis did, however, post a career high in yards per reception (15.1) last year while missing two games. Davis in no way profiles as a team's WR1. "We’ll see what we can figure out," Robinson said. "But at the end of the day, if they choose to capitalize on free agency and the market, I wish them nothing but the best. They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do.”

RELATED: 

Corey Davis

SOURCE: ProFootballTalk.com 

Feb 17, 2021, 8:40 AM ET
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The Titans will not franchise tag TE Jonnu Smith, making him a free agent. 

The tag was never expected for a seam stretcher who finished 2020 with a 41/448/8 line. Five months shy of his 26th birthday, Smith slots in near the top of the tight end market, with only Hunter Henry clearly ahead of him. Established as both a red zone and YAC threat, Smith will not hurt for interest. 

RELATED: 

Tennessee Titans

SOURCE: Adam Schefter on Twitter 

Mar 9, 2021, 3:48 PM ET
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zeeshan2 said:
4 year deal with the Pats 
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NBC Sports Edge take:

Patriots signed TE Jonnu Smith, formerly of the Titans, to a four-year, $50 million contract.

The deal includes $31.25 million guaranteed and currently nets Smith, 26 in August, the third-highest average salary among tight ends. Although the Patriots spent two third-round picks on that position last year, Smith is an all-too-obvious candidate to lead New England in targets following a season in which Cam Newton targeted that unit with a league-low 33 passes. Fantasy players should expect Smith to be used in a variety of ways both between the 20s and inside the 10-yard line as an easy top-10 option among his peers.

SOURCE: Adam Schefter on Twitter

Mar 15, 2021, 12:59 PM ET
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Edgar said:
Seems expensive for a guy whose career year is less than 30 yards/game, but that's free agency for ya
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He was vastly underutilized by Tannehill and the Titans.  I was hoping he'd go somewhere better but I'm going to try to have faith in McDaniels.

 
I'm seeing some in Twitter say this doesn't change his value for dynasty. I'm not over the moon about the spot because of the QB, but it's a bump up in my book. Give me 100 crappy targets over 65 average quality targets at TE.

 
jtd13 said:
I'm seeing some in Twitter say this doesn't change his value for dynasty. I'm not over the moon about the spot because of the QB, but it's a bump up in my book. Give me 100 crappy targets over 65 average quality targets at TE.
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I'd say this moves him from TE15 to no higher than TE12 or so.  It's primarily a lateral move for him, and I don't trust NE to have the talent or game plan to use him successfully.

 
I think he could be argued as high as TE8. Where I have him in that messy TE tier is a conversation for May, but knee jerk - it'll be higher than others. He has a fantasy friendly skill set, but has been stuck in a not fantasy friendly role.

 
Did you see what Fitzpatrick did with Gesicki after he replaced Tannehil in 2019?  I think Fitzpatrick ends up in NE when the dust settles. His last 3 years have been very good.

 
Need to see what they do at QB, but I mean......if we assume they draft a top QB then what's not to love? Bri always talks about how good a run blocker Jonnu is, I'm sure Bill loves that but if they have competent QB play again I don't see why Jonnu doesn't have a bright future. Bright enough at the TE spot anyway. I wasn't buying before and I'm probably not buying now but if they get a good QB in the next couple months I might feel different.

 
I just don't think he is a very good route runner, not your classic QB friendly/find a soft spot in the zone type of TE.

He can block, stretch a seam and has good YAC ability. He has two ways I can see to fantasy success. Catch a ton of TD's or get heavily schemed up on a lot of shorter passes to put him space and take advantage of his yac ability. I believe he'll always be a low volume receiving option a few yards past the LOS, I don't think Arthur Smith had no idea and Patriots are about to unlock him or something.

 
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Anarchy99 said:
Fitzmagic to WFT.
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Just saw that. How can I bet on WFT to win the NFC East. He's been play great the past 2 years in Miami, avoiding the pass rush behind a bad oline, running for 1st downs, and throwing open receivers who have been near the bottom at getting open.

 
Oof! My TE room just got torched in one league (it was Henry and Jonnu lol).

Still time to back out, Jonnu!

 
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Pro Football Focus's Doug Kyed reports Jonnu Smith (hamstring) will be ready for the start of training camp.

He added that linebacker Chase Winovich will also be ready for the start of camp. Smith has had over a month to recover from the hamstring injury that seemed minor when it occurred. He should have no problems at the start of training camp unless he suffers an unforeseen setback. Smith will be competing with Hunter Henry for snaps and targets on an offense that already projects to tilt toward the run. This should keep both tight ends as no more than high-end TE2 options for fantasy purposes.

RELATED: 

Chase Winovich

SOURCE: Doug Kyed on Twitter

Jul 20, 2021, 9:56 AM ET
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Teezee said:
Top 5.
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of what? top 5 chefs on Pats roster? top 5 star trek sounding first names, Jonnu? top 5 clipboard holder, sideline note taker??

cmon man. this guy won't catch 35 balls in NE this season. might be way less than that if he doesn't get over the injury bug.

oh wait I get it, you either drafted him or you're going to draft him or you're setting up your league mates in the hopes that one of them takes Jonnu to let another player fall to you in the draft..

 
Tanner9919 said:
of what? top 5 chefs on Pats roster? top 5 star trek sounding first names, Jonnu? top 5 clipboard holder, sideline note taker??

cmon man. this guy won't catch 35 balls in NE this season. might be way less than that if he doesn't get over the injury bug.

oh wait I get it, you either drafted him or you're going to draft him or you're setting up your league mates in the hopes that one of them takes Jonnu to let another player fall to you in the draft..
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Two questions: Are you 12 and do you wake up angry? 

 
Teezee said:
Two questions: Are you 12 and do you wake up angry? 
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His comments may have hurt your feelings but they are plausible and somewhat funny... 

Your bold claim of him being top 5 is what you got you into this mess.  You didn't have any statistical backing or path to him being top 5 TE.  

 
I do see Jonu as a potential starting fantasy TE with a path to top 8. 

I do not see top 5 in his range of outcomes, but I'll say this: 

- young QBs lean on TEs

- athletic freak, tough to bring down in the open field

- HC who isn't afraid to lean on the TEs

- Lack of quality WRs. 

Seems like the last 3 are why so many love Hockenson this year.  I could definitely see Jonu getting it done as top 8, maybe better. 

*already drafted, not a shareholder.

 
Think Smith is the ideal move TE that the Pats haven't had since Hernandez.  I envision that they will line him up everywhere to get him in favorable match ups.  If he can stay healthy then TE5 is feasible IMO.  

 
elguapo07 said:
Think Smith is the ideal move TE that the Pats haven't had since Hernandez.  I envision that they will line him up everywhere to get him in favorable match ups.  If he can stay healthy then TE5 is feasible IMO.  
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Who falls out of the top 5 to make this happen?

 
Hot Sauce Guy said:
Who falls out of the top 5 to make this happen?
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I don't think it's crazy that Smith could be better utilized by NE to get to the Top 5 . . . the issue will be can he stay healthy enough to even have a chance. Smith scored 140 points in PPR leagues last year on only 65 targets. Before he got dinged in camp, NE was getting creative on getting him the football, running sweeps, pitch plays, TE screens, and at one point even running a draw with him lined up in the backfield. The #5 TE last year scored 175 points.

Given that NE shelled out $50 million with $31.25 million of it guaranteed, I think it's a safe bet to conclude that the Patriots plan on using him more than the Titans did. The switch to Jones likely will equate to more team passing attempts and possibly more red zone passes (compared to how things would be with Newton trying to run the ball into the end zone all the time).

Smith could (not saying will) see a 40-50% increases in targets this year. I realize fantasy points and targets are different creatures and don't always change equally (he's not jumping from 9 to 13 TDs), but 35 points would only be a 25% jump in scoring.

Put another way, Smith scored 354.4 fantasy points on 169 targets in his time with the Titans. That's 2.1 fantasy points per target in PPR leagues. Mike Clay has Smith projected for 90 targets this year. At the same scoring rate over his 4-year career, that would yield 189 fantasy points . . . or 178 points in a 16 game season based on 90 targets. Which, by the way, would have been at the #5 TE production level last season.

My point being, at the same production rate as in TEN, Smith would just need the targets to rank that high. IMO, he will be more featured in the NE offense than he was in TEN (ie, the more targets part), and I think he might do slightly better production wise (although probably with fewer TD).

So to me at least, Smith makes an excellent Top 5-ish TE candidate. Given that his ADP is currently TE14 / 132nd overall, I would have no qualms waiting on TE, filling my roster at other spots, and then taking Smith and expect decent numbers from him.

 
Hot Sauce Guy said:
Who falls out of the top 5 to make this happen?
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Eh, outside the big three at the top, I'd say the rest of the field is within striking distance of any TE that gets hot this season. Even among the big three, I'd say my man Skittles (and I say this with a huge man crush on the dude) has signficantly more injury risk than the avg TE, given the way he plays. And I love the way he plays, BTW!.. Best overall TE in the NFL IMO, and it's not close, but I do discount him as a fantasy asset every year for the same reason.

 
Anarchy99 said:
I don't think it's crazy that Smith could be better utilized by NE to get to the Top 5 . . . the issue will be can he stay healthy enough to even have a chance. Smith scored 140 points in PPR leagues last year on only 65 targets. Before he got dinged in camp, NE was getting creative on getting him the football, running sweeps, pitch plays, TE screens, and at one point even running a draw with him lined up in the backfield. The #5 TE last year scored 175 points.

Given that NE shelled out $50 million with $31.25 million of it guaranteed, I think it's a safe bet to conclude that the Patriots plan on using him more than the Titans did...
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You had me at hello.

 
He's already my most frequently rostered player and will add him again tonight if I can. I think he's going to have a pretty big year.

 
Anarchy99 said:
I don't think it's crazy that Smith could be better utilized by NE to get to the Top 5 . . . the issue will be can he stay healthy enough to even have a chance. Smith scored 140 points in PPR leagues last year on only 65 targets. Before he got dinged in camp, NE was getting creative on getting him the football, running sweeps, pitch plays, TE screens, and at one point even running a draw with him lined up in the backfield. The #5 TE last year scored 175 points.

Given that NE shelled out $50 million with $31.25 million of it guaranteed, I think it's a safe bet to conclude that the Patriots plan on using him more than the Titans did. The switch to Jones likely will equate to more team passing attempts and possibly more red zone passes (compared to how things would be with Newton trying to run the ball into the end zone all the time).

Smith could (not saying will) see a 40-50% increases in targets this year. I realize fantasy points and targets are different creatures and don't always change equally (he's not jumping from 9 to 13 TDs), but 35 points would only be a 25% jump in scoring.

Put another way, Smith scored 354.4 fantasy points on 169 targets in his time with the Titans. That's 2.1 fantasy points per target in PPR leagues. Mike Clay has Smith projected for 90 targets this year. At the same scoring rate over his 4-year career, that would yield 189 fantasy points . . . or 178 points in a 16 game season based on 90 targets. Which, by the way, would have been at the #5 TE production level last season.

My point being, at the same production rate as in TEN, Smith would just need the targets to rank that high. IMO, he will be more featured in the NE offense than he was in TEN (ie, the more targets part), and I think he might do slightly better production wise (although probably with fewer TD).

So to me at least, Smith makes an excellent Top 5-ish TE candidate. Given that his ADP is currently TE14 / 132nd overall, I would have no qualms waiting on TE, filling my roster at other spots, and then taking Smith and expect decent numbers from him.
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I couldn't have said it any better myself, 99. Although you're much nice than me. You did the work for these instant oatmeal heads. You show them where the food is at they expect you to feed it to them as well. 

 
If I miss out on Logan Thomas, Jonnu is next man up...love the upside.  Might as well shoot for the moon if you are that close to streaming TEs.

 
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