Jonnu Smith DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Green Bay Packers tight end Jonnu Smith put up 50 receiving yards in Week 1, but 43 of them came on one catch. The rest of the usage was less encouraging. Smith played 32 of Green Bay's 68 offensive snaps and drew three targets, while Tucker Kraft played 45 snaps and saw six. Kraft was making his return from a torn ACL, yet he still handled the larger share of the work and finished with three catches for 65 yards. Smith only joined Green Bay at the end of August, so his role could grow as he gets more comfortable in the offense. The Packers also used multiple tight ends heavily in the opener, which keeps Smith involved. Still, the early pecking order was pretty clear. Kraft was the more prominent receiving option, and Smith needed one 43-yard play to get to 50 yards. That makes Smith's Week 1 box score look better than the underlying role did.

The Green Bay Packers are signing former Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, sources told Jordan Schultz. Smith is one of the league's most respected veterans, and he has recorded 345 career catches and 30 touchdowns in his nine years in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers will be Smith's fourth different team in the last four years. The former third-rounder in 2017 by the Titans out of Florida International had a career year in Miami in 2024, catching 88 of 111 targets for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games, but he cratered to a 38-222-2 line in 17 regular-season games last year in Pittsburgh while sharing work with Pat Freiermuth. With Luke Musgrave (neck) on the Physically Unable to Perform list, the 31-year-old should become Green Bay's TE2 behind Tucker Kraft (knee), who is coming off a torn ACL last year. Smith is unlikely to have standalone fantasy value with the Packers unless Kraft misses more time with an injury, but his presence is not great news for Kraft's potential breakout in 2026.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are releasing tight end Jonnu Smith on Wednesday, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The move will save the Steelers $7 million against the salary cap, and Smith will now become an unrestricted free agent. Smith, 30, was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2024 with the Miami Dolphins, putting up career-highs in catches (88), targets (111), receiving yards (884), and touchdowns (eight) in 17 games. He came crashing back down to Earth in 2025 with Pittsburgh while sharing targets with Pat Freiermuth, though, as he finished with only 38 receptions for 222 yards and two touchdowns on 54 targets in 17 regular-season games. Smith may never be as good as he was in 2024 in Miami, but a move out of the Steel City is a good thing for his fantasy value going into the 2026 campaign. Smith's departure is also great news for Freiermuth's ceiling.