Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Anthony Firkser

Saturday, September 20, 2:49 AM

New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper has seen increased usage within the team's offense, but it's not enough to justify starting him in fantasy football against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Hooper's snap share jumped from 32 percent in Week 1 to 62 percent in Week 2, and his pass-catching volume increased, too. The 30-year-old caught all three of his targets for 38 yards last week, out-producing Hunter Henry despite playing fewer snaps than him. Hooper remains the No. 2 tight end on the depth chart behind Henry, but he's still seeing decent playing time, especially in two-tight end sets. This week, Hooper is facing a mid-range Steelers defense that has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to tight ends. Hooper ranks as RotoBaller's TE41 this week, and he can be benched in most leagues.

Thursday, May 1, 12:10 AM

The Kansas City Chiefs released tight ends Anthony Firkser and Baylor Cupp, linebacker Shaun Bradley, offensive guard McKade Mettauer and safety Jason Taylor on Wednesday, according to KPRC's Aaron Wilson. They also received an international exemption for offensive tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick. Firkser is the biggest name of the bunch. The 30-year-old veteran tight end played for both the Chiefs and New York Jets last year but didn't contribute at all on offense and wasn't targeted in the passing game in seven total games with both teams. He signed a Reserve/Futures deal after KC's Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles but will now be searching for a new organization after the 2025 NFL draft. Firkser hasn't caught a pass in the NFL since 2022 with the Atlanta Falcons.