Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Daniel Bellinger

Sunday, March 9, 8:57 PM

The New England Patriots are re-signing veteran tight end Austin Hooper to a one-year, $5 million deal with a max value of $7 million. Hooper, a two-time Pro Bowler, notched 45 receptions and 476 yards with New England a season ago, his highest marks since his 2021 stint with the Cleveland Browns. While he began the 2024 season cold, the 30-year-old picked it up over the back half -- racking up four catches in five of his last seven appearances as then-rookie signal-caller Drake Maye got acclimated to the NFL. The Stanford product played second fiddle to fellow tight end Hunter Henry last season and figures to do so again if his teammate stays healthy, as the latter out-paced the former handily in snaps (835-575) despite playing in one fewer contest. It's possible Hooper returns some TE2 value this upcoming season, but he's better off left to waivers until he proves otherwise.

Monday, January 6, 10:27 AM

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger caught two passes for nine yards during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Bellinger has stepped up as the Giants' primary tight end with Theo Johnson (foot) on injured reserve, but he played just 58.5 percent of the offensive snaps on Sunday and hasn't been a dependable contributor despite his increased role. Moving forward, the 24-year-old will drop back down to second on the depth chart once Johnson is healthy again. He's off the radar heading into 2025 fantasy football drafts.