Jonnu

Smith

Smith’s release will save the Steelers $7 million in cap space for 2026. With former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith headed to Ohio State, the Steelers are moving off of their tight end-heavy room as Smith enters the fray once more. He was used in a multitude of ways with the Steelers last season, though it led to minimal fantasy value and a 38/222/2 receiving line for the year. The 30-year-old should find suitors on the open market to enhance a tight-end room’s receiving abilities.

According to DeFabo, “at least six teams would be interested in exploring the idea” of trading for Freiermuth, but the Steelers have no interest in dealing the five-year vet. Freiermuth had a down year in 2025, catching 41 passes for 486 yards and four touchdowns while seeing the second-fewest targets (54) since his injury shortened 2023 season where he played just 12 games. While the Steelers may not have any interest in dealing Freiermuth, DeFabo says the situation with Jonnu Smith “seems a bit more fluid.” Smith crashed back down to earth in 2025 after breaking out for 88-884-8 in his lone season with the Dolphins in 2024, but he remains under contract through next season.

Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith couldn’t help but lobby for the Steelers to add Smith this offseason after previously working with the veteran tight end in Atlanta, seemingly hoarding tight ends with very particular skillsets for his Mickey Mouse offense. Smith’s 2025 season ends with his fewest receptions (38), yards (222), and touchdowns (two) since an injury-shortened 2022 season. He remains tied to a Steelers team with no shortage of potential offseason movement through the 2026 season, leaving an uncertain fantasy profile through the offseason.

Mid-week appearances typically indicate that a player suffered an injury in practice. With TE Darnell Washington (arm) sidelined, the Steelers’ tight end group is suddenly looking quite thin. Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth would warrant TE1 treatment if Smith is also sidelined on game day.

Smith scored the second of two rushing touchdowns by Pittsburgh tight ends, setting a new NFL record as the first team in history with two rushing scores by different tight ends in the same game. Leave it to Arthur Smith to be responsible for a record like that. Smith’s outing was otherwise far from noteworthy while playing in a four-man rotation at tight end for the Steelers, with all of Smith, Pat Freiermuth (three catches for 45 yards), Darnell Wshington (three catches for 25 yards), and Heyward (four carries for four yards and a touchdown) getting in on the action.

Freiermuth ran a pass route on 22 of the Steelers’ 36 drop backs, leading all tight ends and seeing a small bump in playing time with Darnell Washington sidelined with a concussion he sustained in the first quarter. Jonnu Smith, meanwhile, ran just 13 routes and saw one target. Freiermuth, who doesn’t have more than three receptions in the game since Week 6, could have some deep-league fantasy relevance in Week 15 against the Dolphins if Washington enters the league’s concussion protocol and misses a game or two.

Smith again was not part of Steelers passing offense even with Darnell Washington sideline with a concussion for most of the game. Arthur Smith’s favorite tight end has just 30 receptions on the season and only five receptions over his past five games. Smith can remain on waiver wires ahead of the Steelers’ Week 15 game against the Dolphins.

Smith saw five of the 15 targets that went to Steelers tight ends on Sunday, but provided the least production. The veteran tight end continues to disappoint fantasy managers and has yet to top 28 receiving yards in any game this season. Smith won’t be on the fantasy radar in Week 10 against the Chargers.

Smith saw sparse usage throughout as the team continued its four-man rotation at tight end. He narrowly missed connecting with quarterback Aaron Rodgers on a deep seam in the fourth quarter that could have padded his counting stats for fantasy managers, but the ball fell to the turf just out of the sprawling reach of the veteran tight end. Smith remains off fantasy radars in all but the deepest formats.

Both the six-target effort and score were Smith’s first since Week 1, while he was the No. 2 producing tight end behind Pat Freiermuth, who turned his six looks into 5/111/2. Improbably, Darnell Washington also found the end zone. That’s the long way of saying no Steelers tight end is producing consistently enough to merit a real TE2 look ahead of Week 8 against the Packers.