Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Austin Hooper

Tuesday, July 1, 12:10 PM

The Miami Dolphins are finalizing a trade with the New York Giants on Tuesday for former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, who is coming out of retirement, sources tell NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Waller retired last summer after catching 52 of his 74 targets for 552 yards and just one touchdown in 12 games (11 starts) with the G-Men in 2023. Miami was desperate for an addition at tight end after trading Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Dolphins and Giants are also swapping late-round draft picks in the Waller trade. Waller will turn 33 in September and hasn't played more than 12 games since his Pro Bowl season in 2020, but he should automatically become Miami's top pass-catching tight end. The volume alone should make him at least a TE2 target with upside in fantasy, but don't expect him to replicate Smith's numbers from last year in Miami.

Sunday, March 9, 8:57 PM

The New England Patriots are re-signing veteran tight end Austin Hooper to a one-year, $5 million deal with a max value of $7 million. Hooper, a two-time Pro Bowler, notched 45 receptions and 476 yards with New England a season ago, his highest marks since his 2021 stint with the Cleveland Browns. While he began the 2024 season cold, the 30-year-old picked it up over the back half -- racking up four catches in five of his last seven appearances as then-rookie signal-caller Drake Maye got acclimated to the NFL. The Stanford product played second fiddle to fellow tight end Hunter Henry last season and figures to do so again if his teammate stays healthy, as the latter out-paced the former handily in snaps (835-575) despite playing in one fewer contest. It's possible Hooper returns some TE2 value this upcoming season, but he's better off left to waivers until he proves otherwise.