Is Jonnu Smith or Durham Smythe the TE1 for the Dolphins?

The Miami Dolphins tight end room did not contribute much to the offense in 2023. In fact, tight ends have not been heavily involved in Miami’s offense since Mike McDaniel took over as head coach. The most receiving yards a tight end has ever had under McDaniel was Durham Smythe’s 366 last year.

Perhaps the reason behind this is that McDaniel has not had a tight end he’s felt comfortable using in a large role. Smythe was Miami’s lead tight end last year but failed to impress. As a result, the Dolphins signed former Atlanta Falcons tight end Jonnu Smith to a two-year, $8.4 million deal in free agency.

So, which player will wind up as the Dolphins' TE1? Let’s take a few minutes and discuss.

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Who is the Miami Dolphins’ TE1?

Smythe led all Dolphins tight ends in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in 2023. Unfortunately, that didn’t culminate in much production. Smith enters his eighth year in the league and has been around the block a bit. He previously played with the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, and Atlanta Falcons before joining the Dolphins this offseason.

Despite playing behind Kyle Pitts, Smith actually set career highs in receptions and receiving yards in 2023. He has always displayed impressive athleticism and has been known to make splash plays when given a chance.

Jonnu Smith with a 60-yard touchdown! 🤣
pic.twitter.com/09YpdhvdYP

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) November 5, 2023

So, who starts Week 1 as Miami’s top tight end? All signs point to it being Smith. The Dolphins made it a point to sign him in free agency. That suggests they were unhappy with Smythe and the rest of the tight ends last year. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen how large of a role Smith has in the offense.

Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?

In all likelihood, neither player will be fantasy-relevant this year. For whatever reason, McDaniel just hasn’t emphasized the tight-end position during his time in Miami. When you’ve got Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle as your top receivers, though, it is understandable.

However, the fact Miami brought in Smith suggests it may want better production from the position. If either Hill or Waddle misses time due to injury, Smith could emerge as a top target. There’s no need to draft Smith in traditional redraft leagues, but he’s an intriguing name to monitor during the first few weeks of the season. Be ready to add Smith off waivers if it looks like he’s carved out a major role in Miami’s offense.

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