Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Juwan Johnson

Sunday, March 9, 8:57 PM

The New England Patriots are re-signing veteran tight end Austin Hooper to a one-year, $5 million deal with a max value of $7 million. Hooper, a two-time Pro Bowler, notched 45 receptions and 476 yards with New England a season ago, his highest marks since his 2021 stint with the Cleveland Browns. While he began the 2024 season cold, the 30-year-old picked it up over the back half -- racking up four catches in five of his last seven appearances as then-rookie signal-caller Drake Maye got acclimated to the NFL. The Stanford product played second fiddle to fellow tight end Hunter Henry last season and figures to do so again if his teammate stays healthy, as the latter out-paced the former handily in snaps (835-575) despite playing in one fewer contest. It's possible Hooper returns some TE2 value this upcoming season, but he's better off left to waivers until he proves otherwise.

Tuesday, March 11, 4:31 PM

The New Orleans Saints re-signed tight end Juwan Johnson to a three-year deal worth over $30 million, sources tell FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. Johnson was one of the top tight ends available on the open market this offseason and will return to the Saints after a career-best 50-548-3 line in 17 games (five starts) in his fifth year in the league in 2024. The 28-year-old can make as much as $34.5 million and will receive $21.25 million guaranteed. Even though Johnson had a career year with the Saints last year, he finished as the TE17 in half-point PPR scoring. The good news is that Johnson will return to the only team he's played for in his five NFL seasons and will continue working with veteran quarterback Derek Carr in new head coach Kellen Moore's system. The bad news is that Johnson will likely continue to be inconsistent from a fantasy perspective on a weekly basis as a TE2.