Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Michael Mayer

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.

Friday, October 10, 9:01 PM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer is on track to return in Week 6 after being a full participant in practice throughout the week. Mayer has not played since suffering a concussion on September 21 but is expected to reclaim the starting role with Brock Bowers (knee) still sidelined. While Mayer doesn't offer the same explosive playmaking ability as Bowers, his steady hands and blocking versatility should make him a reliable complementary option in the Raiders offense. Fantasy managers, however, should temper expectations--Mayer is projected as TE17 this week, placing him outside the starting range in standard leagues. Still, with Bowers' recovery timeline uncertain, Mayer could see expanded opportunities in the weeks ahead and is worth monitoring as a potential streamer or stash in deeper formats.