Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Sam LaPorta

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.

Monday, November 10, 8:48 PM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta had a modest outing in his team's Week 10 win over the Washington Commanders, recording five catches for 53 yards on five targets. The 24-year-old has now hauled in 40 receptions for 489 yards and three scores on 49 targets across nine games this season. Other than failing to score a touchdown, LaPorta's showing in Week 10 should be considered another step in the right direction from a fantasy perspective. After failing to earn five targets or five receptions in three out of the first four weeks of 2025, LaPorta has now hit both those marks in four out of his last five games played. As long as he can stay healthy, LaPorta should remain a consistent feature in the Lions' passing game. He faces a tough matchup in Week 11 when Detroit travels to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.