Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Austin Hooper

Saturday, November 8, 5:41 PM

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz has had an underwhelming year in his 13th season in the league, catching 31 of his 44 targets for 291 yards and four touchdowns in nine games. Ertz has dropped more passes and had procedural penalties than you would expect from a veteran player, but it's been that kind of season for Washington. The 34-year-old tight end is still a capable threat in the red zone and on third downs, but he offers zero ability after the catch. Ertz has seen a slight drop off in production with Marcus Mariota as the starter compared to Jayden Daniels (elbow), who will miss an extended period of time. In Daniels' five starts, Ertz has recorded 22 catches for 216 yards and all four of his touchdowns on 30 targets, compared to nine catches, 75 yards, and no touchdowns on 13 targets in Mariota's three starts. Ertz is ranked as RotoBaller's TE14 in PPR leagues for Week 10 against the Lions.

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.