Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Jake Ferguson

Saturday, September 20, 2:49 AM

New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper has seen increased usage within the team's offense, but it's not enough to justify starting him in fantasy football against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Hooper's snap share jumped from 32 percent in Week 1 to 62 percent in Week 2, and his pass-catching volume increased, too. The 30-year-old caught all three of his targets for 38 yards last week, out-producing Hunter Henry despite playing fewer snaps than him. Hooper remains the No. 2 tight end on the depth chart behind Henry, but he's still seeing decent playing time, especially in two-tight end sets. This week, Hooper is facing a mid-range Steelers defense that has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to tight ends. Hooper ranks as RotoBaller's TE41 this week, and he can be benched in most leagues.

Saturday, November 1, 4:49 PM

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson had a rough outing in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos, catching zero passes on one target. The performance was uncharacteristic, as Ferguson has seen five or more targets in six of eight games this season. This week, Ferguson and the Cowboys face the Arizona Cardinals, a team that has struggled against tight ends in 2025. With a potentially high-scoring game on the horizon, Ferguson is in position to bounce back as a key piece of Dallas' passing attack. RotoBaller currently ranks Ferguson as the TE7 for Week 9, making him a solid start in all formats, particularly for managers seeking consistent tight end production.