Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Cade Otton

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.

Monday, November 10, 10:23 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton hauled in nine of 12 targets for 82 yards in Sunday's 28-23 loss to the New England Patriots. Otton set a new career high in targets and tied his career best with nine receptions. With multiple injuries to Tampa Bay's receiving corps, the fourth-year tight end has stepped into a key role. Chris Godwin (fibula) isn't expected back until late November, and Mike Evans (collarbone) remains sidelined, leaving Otton as one of Baker Mayfield's top options alongside Emeka Egbuka. The Buccaneers face the Buffalo Bills in Week 12, a matchup that could feature plenty of scoring opportunities for both teams. With injuries and bye weeks thinning out the tight end options, Otton deserves strong fantasy consideration this week.