The 21-year-old suffered bone bruising in the Suns' final practice match before the first round of the NAB Cup and has been unable to play so far.
However, coach Guy McKenna says the former soccer player is expected to get a game in before the Suns start their home-and-away season in round two and hopefully combine with experienced ruckman Josh Fraser for the majority of the year.
"You'd like to think [he'd play every week], but it's the great unknown," McKenna said on Wednesday.
"Zac's 206cm and he's probably 100kg so he hasn't filled out yet, he hasn't matured -he's still a boy really in the ruck sense.
"If he gets through six or seven games in a row and his body starts to get grumbly then we'll pull him out so he can get himself right, have a week off and then throw him back in."
McKenna said Smith was capable of physically competing with the league's biggest ruckmen but expected to manage his load if he faced experienced big men in consecutive weeks.
He said he wouldn't keep the athletic giant away from the action and would play him alongside the experienced former Magpie rather than as the first ruckman in the seconds.
"Against other sides who have ruckmen who are tall and lean like him then he can play for sure," he said.
"We're not going to develop Zac as quick in the NEAFL so we'll be playing two rucks. Josh can push forward after the ruck and then Zac can come on and ruck so we can develop him through the season."
Smith said working with Fraser and ruck coach Jeff White had been invaluable to his development considering he only started playing football four years ago.
"They've been amazing. I've known Whitey now for a couple of years because he's been here since I started, which was pretty much day dot," he told afl.com.au.
"He's been incredible with my development and then 'Frase' came along and I've just grown so much, my game sense and following him around the training paddock."
Smith started playing soccer when he was four years old, initially as a striker and later as a full back, and, just over 10 years later, he represented Queensland in the indoor variation of the game in Brazil.
He was then convinced to try Australian Rules in 2007 by his mates, who were impressed by his height and athletic ability.
He played under 17s in Rockhampton before moving to Brisbane with his family in 2008, where he continued to develop with the Zillmere Eagles.
There he attracted the attention of Gold Coast's scouts and was invited to join the club ahead of its first TAC Cup season in 2009.
"Four years ago, I never thought I'd be here right now," Smith said.
A highlight for Smith, apart from making the VFL Team of the Year in 2010, has been his recent appointment to the leadership group for the Suns' first year in the AFL.
"I've been in the leadership group for the past couple of seasons but it's just stepped up a whole lot now," he said.
"I was very honoured to get selected by the boys. We had a pre-season camp at Mooloolaba and that's where the players chose the captain and leadership group.
"When I found out I was a little bit surprised, but I was stoked."
Zac Smith is a $106,400 ruckman in the Toyota AFL Dream Team competition
