Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Theo Johnson

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, October 27, 10:29 PM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson had a quiet game in his team's Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, recording three catches for 20 yards on four targets. Johnson has been a relatively consistent producer so far this season, recording 23 catches for 212 yards and four touchdowns on 37 targets across eight games. He's shown a nice chemistry with Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, as all four of Johnson's touchdowns have come since Dart took over as the team's starter in Week 4. However, Johnson's Week 8 dip in production coincided with the return of Giants wideout Darius Slayton, who had missed the team's previous two games with a hamstring injury. Now that Slayton is back in the lineup, it may prove difficult for Johnson to see consistent target volume. Still, Johnson has proven to be a trusted red zone option in New York. He should be added in all PPR-scoring fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams ahead of a Week 9 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.