Who Should I Start? Alex Erickson or Austin Hooper

Sunday, December 31, 7:57 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Alex Erickson led the team in receiving in a Week 17 loss to the Denver Broncos. Erickson was targeted eight times, making seven catches for 98 yards. It's very telling of the Chargers season that Alex Erickson is the one leading the team in catches and yards in a Week 17 game against a division rival. They'll have one more game before the merciful end of the season with a Week 18 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Wednesday, March 13, 12:18 AM

Las Vegas Raiders free-agent tight end Austin Hooper is expected to sign a one-year deal worth up to $4.25 million with the New England Patriots on Wednesday. The veteran tight end will reunite with new Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who was with Hooper with the Cleveland Browns. Hooper made the Pro Bowl two straight years from 2018-19 while with the Atlanta Falcons, but he hasn't been nearly as involved as he was then in the last four seasons with the Browns, Titans and Raiders. In 17 games (nine starts) last year in Vegas, the 29-year-old caught just 25 of 31 targets for 234 yards and no touchdowns. With both Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown now gone, Hooper figures to serve as New England's No. 2 TE behind Hunter Henry in 2024. Unless Henry gets hurt, Hooper is unlikely to have a significant enough role to warrant fantasy consideration in standard-sized leagues.