Breaking Down the Dolphins, Steelers Trade, Fantasy Football Outlook for Jonnu Smith, and More

The NFL may be 10 or so weeks from returning, but the league is still making headlines on a random Monday in the middle of the summer.

The Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers made a trade on Monday. Let's break that down and discuss what it all means, while also throwing in some fantasy football talk.

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The Trade

The big name in the deal is Jalen Ramsey, who will be joining the Steelers. Jonnu Smith is a fantasy asset we'll discuss more in a bit, but he's also headed to Pittsburgh.

The Dolphins are getting Minkah Fitzpatrick in return.

The teams also swapped some draft picks. Miami is sending a seventh-round pick, while Pittsburgh is adding a fifth-round selection. Both the picks are from the 2027 draft.

Trade Breakdown

The Dolphins were looking to trade Ramsey for a while, and Smith has also come up in trade talks. They parted with both guys in one trade, and I think they got the short end of the stick in this deal. 

Fitzpatrick is a talented safety nearing his prime, but Miami lost two impact players and only got one back. If Miami struggles this season, I could see them trading away even more veterans and maybe beginning a rebuilding process.

I love this deal for the Steelers, who are going all in for Aaron Rodgers' possible only season in Pittsburgh. 

Ramsey has been one of the top cornerbacks in the league, and he's still just 30 years old. So he's got a couple solid seasons in him yet, I think.

If the Steelers can convince T.J. Watt to come back, the defense is looking really formidable. Losing Fitzpatrick will hurt, but I wouldn't be surprised if Pittsburgh adds another safety before the season kicks off, whether that be a current free agent, or another trade.

Pittsburgh could be one of the better defenses in the league if everything comes together and the unit stays relatively healthy.

Smith is 29 years old and is coming off a career season. He will give Rodgers a much-needed, and proven, pass-catching threat.

I am interested in what that means for Pat Freiermuth, the team's starting tight end over the past couple years. I think this was a way to add another pass catcher to the mix, and that the Steelers would get Smith and Freiermuth on the field often, and together.

Fitzpatrick will be a big boost to the safety room in Miami. He'll start and lead the secondary, and maybe defense overall - if he sticks with the team.

Fantasy Football Outlooks

For those of you playing in IDP leagues, the swap of Ramsey and Fitzpatrick shouldn't change the fantasy outlooks for either guy all that much. They'll produce with any teams they are on, and the biggest thing to their fantasy values is staying healthy. 

Smith is the more traditional fantasy player, being an offensive player. So we'll discuss him a bit more at length.

Pittsburgh has DK Metcalf, Robert Woods and Calvin Austin III as their projected starting wideouts right now. Roman Wilson is among the other options, but really, Metcalf is the only name that stands out, both in real life, and for fantasy.

The Steelers needed another proven pass catcher, and Smith is just that. I expect him to line up wide often, and to be a big-time option for Rodgers.

I'd be pretty shocked if Smith doesn't outscore Freiermuth in fantasy leagues this season. Freiermuth should still play a bunch, and line up as the more traditional tight end option, but I think the addition of Smith is a negative for him.

Smith was a top-end fantasy tight end last season. That could happen again this season, but I see him sliding back a bit, but still being in the hunt for a top-10 fantasy spot at the position. Smith might end up as the next-best fantasy pass catcher in Pittsburgh behind Metcalf.

Freiermuth will still be a deep-league option, and could be streamable at times in standard leagues, but he hasn't consistently produced in that past, and now with a new regime and playmakers around him, I don't love Freiermuth for the upcoming season.

I'll be interested to see what else the Steelers do this offseason. They still need more offensive talent I think if they are serious about competing in the AFC. They are improving with every move, but still need more.

As for what trading Smith away from the Dolphins does, the fantasy outlooks for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle just got decent boosts. I have to imagine the Dolphins are going to add another tight end at some point, but it's possible the team rolls with Pharaoh Brown, Julian Hill and some other depth options on the current roster.

I also think the trading of Smith is a boost for the Dolphins' running backs. De'Von Achane is already projected for a monster 2025-26 season, but it got another boost today.

Jaylen Wright and Alexander Mattison should also be involved offensively, and maybe rookie Ollie Gordon II also factors into the mix. The Miami offense could get a little more run oriented with a lack of pass catchers outside Waddle and Hill, and that should benefit Achane and the other Miami backs on the roster.

I don't think the Dolphins are ready to break up their entire roster yet, so I'd expect a few more offseason moves before the preseason begins.