Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Ja'Tavion Sanders

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.

Wednesday, February 18, 10:06 AM

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (fibula) missed the end of 2025 after being placed on IR. He still appeared in 13 games throughout the course of the regular season, amassing 29 catches, 190 yards, and one touchdown. This was a significant step back from his rookie campaign in 2024, when he was the TE36 in PPR leagues with 33 catches, 342 yards, and a trip to the end zone. The Panthers simply haven't placed much emphasis on utilizing the tight end position in the passing game in recent years, so even though Sanders has been atop the depth chart, he hasn't carved out a significant receiving role. That's unlikely to change in 2026, so he's not a particularly intriguing target in redraft leagues. However, he's worth holding and stashing in dynasty leagues because he's still a young, talented player with long-term upside in a more appropriate scheme.