Who Should I Start? Kyle Juszczyk or Austin Hooper

Wednesday, March 13, 4:10 PM

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk agreed to a restructured contract on Wednesday, according to his agent. The move clears roughly $1.75 million in cap space for the organization. The 32-year-old has been named to eight consecutive Pro Bowl rosters, and he earned his first All-Pro selection in 2023. Fullbacks are a dying breed in the NFL, yet Juszczyk is considered a valuable piece of the high-powered Niners offense, and he will remain the highest-paid player at the position under his new deal. In 11 NFL seasons, he has rushed 62 times for 221 yards and five touchdowns and hauled in 262 passes for 2,464 receiving yards and 16 scores.

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.