Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Kyle Pitts Sr.

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.

Sunday, January 4, 11:50 AM

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New Orleans Saints. He had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity this week. Pitts has frequently appeared on the injury report this year, but he never ended up missing a game. He has officially been active for all 17 games for the third season in a row. Pitts has been playing at an elite level ever since Kirk Cousins took over at quarterback, and it has allowed him to rank as the overall TE2 in full-PPR leagues to this point. He'll look to cap off his strong second half of the season in a competitive game against the Saints on Sunday. As it stands, he ranks as a top-five fantasy tight end.