Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Austin Hooper


Week 1 Projections

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Rec. Rec.
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0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Zach Ertz News

Zach Ertz Plans to Return for 14th Season

Tuesday, February 24, 5:40 AM

Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz (knee) plans to return in 2026 for a 14th NFL season and is expected to be cleared right around Week 1, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Ertz, who will be a free agent next month, is two months into rehab from a torn ACL. The 35-year-old veteran ranks fifth in catches and eighth in yards among tight ends in NFL history, including 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games last before before suffering his season-ending knee injury in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 7. Given his age and uncertainty about whether he'll actually be 100% ready to play in the season opener this fall, Ertz's fantasy stock will drop considerably going into the 2026 season. In his first year in Washington in 2024, Ertz had a 66-654-7 line in 17 games played.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Austin Hooper News

Austin Hooper Heading Back to Atlanta

Monday, March 9, 9:40 AM

Free-agent tight end Austin Hooper is signing a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Hooper was originally drafted by Atlanta in the third round in 2016 out of Stanford. The 31-year-old veteran spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Falcons and was a Pro Bowler with them in 2018 and 2019. He then bounced around with the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and New England Patriots. Hooper hasn't been as productive as he was in his final two seasons in Atlanta, and in his return, he'll be a backup to TE Kyle Pitts Sr. In 16 regular-season games (six starts) for the Patriots last year, Hooper had just 21 catches for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Unless Pitts is traded or injured in 2026, Hooper won't be on the fantasy radar in redraft leagues this fall.


Zach Ertz vs. Austin Hooper

Still trying to decide between Ertz and Hooper? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Zach Ertz is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Austin Hooper is projected to score 0.0 points.