Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Darnell Washington

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.

Sunday, December 1, 12:36 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington had only seven catches as a rookie. While the 23-year-old has been more productive during the 2024-25 campaign, he hasn't routinely been involved enough to warrant a spot in fantasy lineups. With that in mind, the Steelers have a favorable matchup against the Bengals in Week 13. However, that still won't make Washington a viable fantasy option in any format, especially with Pat Freiermuth available.