Start Eli Raridon or Jonnu Smith? Week 7

Our Week 7 call

Start Eli Raridon over Jonnu Smith in Week 7.

Market-based projections have Eli Raridon at 3.6 points and Jonnu Smith at 2.5, a gap of 1.2. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Eli Raridon this week yet, so his 3.6 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 4 and 5 (3.7 and 3.6); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Jonnu Smith this week yet, so his 2.5 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 4 and 5 (2.1 and 2.8); the call is rebuilt when his market posts.

What the market projects

No Week 7 player market is posted for Eli Raridon yet. His market-based projections were 3.7 and 3.6 points in Weeks 4 and 5, an average of 3.6, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

No Week 7 player market is posted for Jonnu Smith yet. His market-based projections were 2.1 and 2.8 points in Weeks 4 and 5, an average of 2.5, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

That puts Eli Raridon 1.2 points ahead of Jonnu Smith on these projections.

Week 7 matchups

Eli Raridon and NE visit CHI on Thursday at 8:15 PM ET.

CHI allowed 7.7 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 5 games, the 3rd fewest in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 41 yards and no touchdowns a game against CHI.

Jonnu Smith and GB visit DET on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

DET allowed 31.9 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 5 games, the most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 109 yards and 1.8 touchdowns a game against DET.

By points allowed to the position, Jonnu Smith has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Eli Raridon is not on the injury report.

Jonnu Smith is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, Eli Raridon played 49 percent of NE snaps, drew 8 percent of the targets, earned 7 percent of the air yards and had 10 percent of the red zone chances.

Eli Raridon, Week 2 against PIT: 11 of 55 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 30 yards.

Eli Raridon, Week 4 against BUF: 44 of 76 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 12 yards.

Eli Raridon, Week 5 against LV: 43 of 75 snaps, 5 targets and 5 catches for 57 yards.

Eli Raridon, Week 6 against NYJ: 3 targets and 1 catch for 11 yards.

Through Week 5, Jonnu Smith played 32 percent of GB snaps, drew 4 percent of the targets, earned 3 percent of the air yards and had 2 percent of the red zone chances.

Jonnu Smith, Week 2 against NYJ: 13 of 59 snaps, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Jonnu Smith, Week 3 against ATL: 22 of 66 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 16 yards.

Jonnu Smith, Week 4 against TB: 13 of 60 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 19 yards.

Jonnu Smith, Week 5 against CHI: 21 of 61 snaps, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Jonnu Smith played 17 games for PIT and scored 85.2 PPR points, 5.0 a game, finishing TE35.

He caught 38 of 54 targets for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 7 red zone targets and 43 air yards.

He was on the field for 53 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 7 calls

• Start Eli Raridon over Austin Hooper.
• Start Eli Raridon over Cole Kmet.
• Start Darnell Washington over Eli Raridon.
• Start Austin Hooper over Jonnu Smith.
• Start Cole Kmet over Jonnu Smith.
• Start Davis Allen over Jonnu Smith.