Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Mike Gesicki


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
3.3 0.0 0.0 1.3 15.1 0.1

Austin Hooper News

Austin Hooper Heading Back to Atlanta

Monday, March 9, 9:40 AM

Free-agent tight end Austin Hooper is signing a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Hooper was originally drafted by Atlanta in the third round in 2016 out of Stanford. The 31-year-old veteran spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Falcons and was a Pro Bowler with them in 2018 and 2019. He then bounced around with the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and New England Patriots. Hooper hasn't been as productive as he was in his final two seasons in Atlanta, and in his return, he'll be a backup to TE Kyle Pitts Sr. In 16 regular-season games (six starts) for the Patriots last year, Hooper had just 21 catches for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Unless Pitts is traded or injured in 2026, Hooper won't be on the fantasy radar in redraft leagues this fall.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
6.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 25.1 0.2

Mike Gesicki News

Mike Gesicki Hasn't Done Enough to Become a Redraft Sleeper

Wednesday, August 19, 9:37 AM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had a couple of good moments Tuesday, including a 17-yard catch from Joe Burrow and another third-down grab after Burrow broke the pocket. Nice day, but there still hasn't been much this summer to push Gesicki up redraft boards. He finished 2025 with 28 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games after a pectoral injury cost him four games. Burrow missing nine games didn't help either. The better reference point is 2024, when Gesicki caught 65 passes for 665 yards, but getting back to that volume is the hard part. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are going to eat first, Chase Brown will get his work, and Erick All Jr. is back in a deep tight end room. RotoBaller has Gesicki 218th overall in half-PPR. That's late enough to take a shot in deeper drafts, but one good camp practice doesn't suddenly make him a sleeper. He's still outside the group of tight ends fantasy managers should feel any need to chase.


Austin Hooper vs. Mike Gesicki

Still trying to decide between Hooper and Gesicki? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Austin Hooper is projected to score 3.3 points this week while Mike Gesicki is projected to score 6.0 points.