Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel or Austin Hooper

Friday, April 26, 6:13 PM

The San Francisco 49ers have listened to calls on All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel, but sources are saying that the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots are considered highly unlikely to trade for him. After the first round of the 2024 NFL draft was completed on Thursday night, a report surfaced that the Niners were more likely to trade Samuel than Brandon Aiyuk. There has been a lot of trade talk around both Aiyuk and Samuel this offseason, and the Niners' first-round pick of receiver Ricky Pearsall at No. 31 on Thursday night made it look like a trade was more likely to happen. The Bills and Patriots have the first two picks in the second round, respectively, so if neither of them can pull off a trade for Samuel before Round 2 starts, they could both go with pass-catchers in what is a deep and talented class in 2024.

Wednesday, March 13, 12:18 AM

Las Vegas Raiders free-agent tight end Austin Hooper is expected to sign a one-year deal worth up to $4.25 million with the New England Patriots on Wednesday. The veteran tight end will reunite with new Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who was with Hooper with the Cleveland Browns. Hooper made the Pro Bowl two straight years from 2018-19 while with the Atlanta Falcons, but he hasn't been nearly as involved as he was then in the last four seasons with the Browns, Titans and Raiders. In 17 games (nine starts) last year in Vegas, the 29-year-old caught just 25 of 31 targets for 234 yards and no touchdowns. With both Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown now gone, Hooper figures to serve as New England's No. 2 TE behind Hunter Henry in 2024. Unless Henry gets hurt, Hooper is unlikely to have a significant enough role to warrant fantasy consideration in standard-sized leagues.