Fant. Pts. | Rush. Yds. | Rush TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | Rec TD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 27.0 | 0.2 |
Wednesday, March 13, 12:18 AM
Las Vegas Raiders free-agent tight end Austin Hooper is expected to sign a one-year deal worth up to $4.25 million with the New England Patriots on Wednesday. The veteran tight end will reunite with new Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who was with Hooper with the Cleveland Browns. Hooper made the Pro Bowl two straight years from 2018-19 while with the Atlanta Falcons, but he hasn't been nearly as involved as he was then in the last four seasons with the Browns, Titans and Raiders. In 17 games (nine starts) last year in Vegas, the 29-year-old caught just 25 of 31 targets for 234 yards and no touchdowns. With both Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown now gone, Hooper figures to serve as New England's No. 2 TE behind Hunter Henry in 2024. Unless Henry gets hurt, Hooper is unlikely to have a significant enough role to warrant fantasy consideration in standard-sized leagues.
Fant. Pts. | Rush. Yds. | Rush TD | Rec. | Rec. Yds. | Rec TD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 0.0 |
Thursday, March 28, 2:48 PM
Although LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. stands in the shadow of teammate Malik Nabers for the upcoming NFL draft, the 6-foot-2 7/8, 209-pounder is viewed as a possible top-20 pick in April. "He's about as naturally talented as you can find at the position," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks said. "Big, fast, physical. Runs great routes. Natural catcher. Does a really good job of watching the ball into his hands. He can shine." The biggest question for Thomas is whether he can step outside the shadow of Nabors and be an alpha dog for an NFL team. Because he didn't work out at LSU's pro day on Wednesday, Thomas may not have answered that question completely, but it doesn't mean that a receiver-needy team won't be willing to take him in the first round in 2024.
Still trying to decide between Hooper and Thomas? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Austin Hooper is projected to score 6.2 points this week while Ian Thomas is projected to score 0.5 points.