Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Isaiah Likely

Wednesday, November 19, 2:59 AM

New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper (concussion) carved out standalone fantasy value in his role behind Hunter Henry last season, but he has failed to establish himself as a worthwhile fantasy addition during the 2025 campaign. He went from the overall TE24 in PPR leagues last year to TE45 through Week 11 this season. The 31-year-old hasn't registered more than three targets in a single game this season, which is a major step backward after he averaged 3.5 targets per game in 2024. While Henry has cemented himself as the Patriots' top tight end and is one reason for Hooper's underwhelming year, the bigger factor is likely the wide receivers' increased productivity. Players like Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, and Mack Hollins have elevated this position room higher than in years past, leaving fewer opportunities for a backup tight end like Hooper. An injury has complicated his status even more, as Hooper missed Week 11 in concussion protocol and remains up in the air for Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Even if he plays, he'll remain off the fantasy radar in all leagues. His only path to fantasy relevance would be a Hunter Henry injury.

Monday, December 8, 11:03 PM

Although Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has had a pair of high-profile near-touchdowns over the past two weeks, the 25-year-old is also quietly emerging as a more consistent feature in his team's passing game. Across his last two outings, Likely has recorded nine catches for 120 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. Baltimore continues to split tight end snaps between Likely and veteran Mark Andrews, which limits the upside for both players. Still, Likely has proven to be a relatively capable target-earner in a part-time role. In Week 15, the Ravens have a highly favorable matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals' defense has struggled to contain tight ends this season, and Likely torched them for 95 receiving yards on five catches in Week 13. In deep leagues, Likely could be a solid tight end streamer for fantasy managers in Week 15.