Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Mason Taylor

Saturday, September 6, 9:53 AM

New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper had a pleasantly surprising 2024 season, but he's not on the fantasy radar for the team's 2025 season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. After all, Hooper is still the No. 2 tight end in New England and should continue to operate behind Hunter Henry. There will be two-tight end sets and opportunities for Hooper to get involved, but not enough to justify rostering him in fantasy football, especially when so many other tight ends are healthy and bye weeks haven't started up yet. Despite a matchup against the Raiders, who allowed the third-most fantasy points to tight ends last year, Hooper can be left on waivers.

Saturday, September 6, 11:05 AM

New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor will make his Jets debut this Sunday when his team hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium. The 21-year-old rookie was an ascending talent during his time with LSU, garnering the role of a three-year starter. Taylor set the Tigers' single-season tight end reception record in his final campaign (55) and will get an opportunity to impact the NFL field immediately. New York's passing game is lacking in strong options behind wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall, leaving a significant portion of quarterback Justin Fields' passing volume ripe for the taking. It remains to be seen how often the Jets will air it out, but Taylor is an above-average athlete and runs a diverse route tree. He's one to watch early on, even if it might take him a bit to get going. The first-year pro comes in at RotoBaller's PPR TE30 for his NFL debut.