Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Pat Freiermuth

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.

Saturday, November 15, 12:44 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has scored three touchdowns in the past four weeks and is set to take on a familiar foe in the Cincinnati Bengals this week. Freiermuth has a long history of success against the Bengals, most recently erupting for 111 yards and two touchdowns when these division rivals met in Week 7. Though the weekly target distribution between Pittsburgh's three tight ends is unpredictable, Freiermuth has outpaced both Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington in fantasy scoring since the Steelers' Week 5 bye. None of them are safe options in Week 11, but Freiermuth's recent chemistry with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his track record against the Bengals give him the highest ceiling of the group. He has appeal as a streaming option in what could be another shootout.