Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or CJ Uzomah

Sunday, January 5, 10:23 PM

New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper caught four of his six targets for 27 yards during Sunday's Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills. The veteran tight end handled an increased workload in the regular-season finale, playing 67.2 percent of the Patriots' offensive snaps with Hunter Henry (foot) sidelined. The 30-year-old finished as a low-end TE2 in fantasy football this season with 45 catches, 476 yards, and three touchdowns. Hooper was a pleasant surprise during his first year in New England, maintaining a significant role on offense despite being listed second on the depth chart behind Henry. He's slated to hit free agency in March but could be a priority re-signing for the Patriots' next coaching regime.

Thursday, January 30, 12:35 PM

The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Thursday that they opened the practice window for tight end C.J. Uzomah (abdomen) to return from Injured Reserve. In other moves, the team signed running back Lew Nichols to the practice squad and released tight end Nick Muse from their practice squad. It means that Uzomah can resume practicing with the team, giving him a chance to play in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9, against the Kansas City Chiefs. The 32-year-old suffered an abdominal injury in Week 17 but is on the mend and has a chance to play in the big game with an extra week off before the Super Bowl. However, even if Uzomah is officially activated from IR and is active against the Chiefs, he may not even see the field. The former Bengals tight end played in only seven regular-season games for Philly and was not targeted at all.