Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Pharaoh Brown

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, March 14, 3:30 PM

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the Miami Dolphins have reached an agreement with former Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown on a one-year contract. The financial terms have not been disclosed. The 30-year-old will join his sixth NFL team since signing with the Las Vegas (Oakland) Raiders in 2016 as an undrafted free agent. Brown was the third-leading snap-getter for the Seahawks in 2024 (264), though it only amounted to eight receptions and 65 scoreless yards across 15 games. The Oregon product presents as a depth piece for Miami, as he'll likely compete for playing time with fellow tight end Julian Hill behind Jonnu Smith, who led the team in receptions a season ago.