Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Colston Loveland

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.

Saturday, October 18, 12:19 PM

Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland could be on the verge of a breakout performance in Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints. It's been a quiet start to his rookie campaign, with five catches for 54 yards through five games. The tenth overall pick has opened the season behind veteran Cole Kmet, but Week 6 hinted at a gap closing between the two. Kmet played 52% of the snaps, while Loveland saw 43%, even as the Bears used two-tight end sets at their lowest rate of the year. Head coach Ben Johnson later said the formation usage was game-plan specific, but Loveland's increased role is a promising sign. The rookie now faces a Saints defense that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. While Loveland isn't startable yet, Week 7 could mark the beginning of his breakout as he continues to close the gap for TE1 duties in Chicago.