Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Terrance Ferguson

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.

Wednesday, November 5, 3:11 PM

Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson saw limited playing time over the first five weeks of the season, but his role has increased lately. The rookie has three catches for 85 yards and a touchdown over his last two games, averaging 8.8 fantasy points (PPR) during that span. Specifically, he has emerged as a big-play threat for the Rams. Two of Ferguson's last three catches have gone for at least 31 yards, allowing him to emerge as an intriguing target and chain-mover for Matthew Stafford. It will be tough for Ferguson to carve out a consistent target share behind Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, and Colby Parkinson, but he has significant upside thanks to his receiving skills and high draft capital. He's a very appealing dynasty stash.