Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Hayden Hurst

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.

Saturday, January 11, 3:09 PM

According to the team, Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hayden Hurst and rookie running back Kimani Vidal are both inactive for Saturday's playoff game against the Houston Texans. Both Hurst and Vidal were not on the injury report but will sit out during the opening game of the NFL playoffs. Hurst has appeared in only nine games this season and averaged a mere 1.4 targets per game. Fantasy managers should expect Will Dissly to operate as the clear TE1 on Saturday afternoon. With Vidal sitting out, fantasy managers should expect J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards to lead the backfield. Dobbins carries RB1 upside in this match, while Hurst should be viewed as a TE2.