Austin

Hooper

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the deal is worth “up to” $4.25 million. Hooper broke out on his rookie deal in Atlanta, topping 500 yards three times and peaking at 75 catches, 787 yards, and six scores in 2019. He would fail to reach even 450 yards in any of the next four seasons. Those years saw him play for three different teams, most recently the Raiders. Hooper has found a niche as a veteran backup but isn’t likely to start over Hunter Henry in New England. He is not on the fantasy radar heading into his ninth NFL campaign.

Hooper began the year as Las Vegas’s starting tight end but eventually gave way to rookie Michael Mayer. He picked up a few more starts late in the season with Mayer banged up but didn’t do much with the extra routes. Hooper closed the year with 25 catches for 234 yards. He will likely be looking for a new home in free agency this offseason.

Hooper continued to play behind rookie tight end Michael Mayer but neither found much room to maneuver against the suffocating Detroit defense. The Raiders managed just 206 total yards of offense and 126 pass yards on a night they held the football for just 20 minutes and 27 seconds. There isn’t much fantasy meat left on Hooper’s bone without an injury ahead of him.

Hooper continued to split time with rookie tight end Michael Mayer, the latter of whom gained 39 yards on his two receptions in this one. Even so, Hooper’s relative lack of YAC ability, paired with a tertiary role at best in the offense, leaves a lot to be desired from a fantasy perspective moving forward.

It was Mayer’s first reception as a pro. Austin Hooper, meanwhile, had two receptions for 20 yards. Hooper should remain the team’s top tight end headed into Week 3. Neither player is fantasy viable.

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Hooper can boost his deal to as much as $3.5 million through incentives. The Raiders previously added O.J. Howard following their move to trade Darren Waller to New York. If both players make the roster, Hooper will likely take on more work as a blocker with Howard primarily running routes. Hooper is coming off a quiet season as a pass-catcher, totaling just 37 catches for 406 yards and a single touchdown. Though there will be more passing volume to go around in Vegas, his days as a fantasy-relevant tight end appear to be behind him.

It’s business as usual in Vegas, as the Raiders look to replace one of the most productive tight ends in recent years (Darren Waller), with two of the least productive. Fresh off of signing Houston castoff O.J. Howard, the Raiders are now looking to add Hooper, who was a colossal bust after signing a lucrative deal with the Browns (2020-2021), and a lightly-used receiving option last season with the Titans last season. Hooper hasn’t come close to sniffing the career-high numbers he posted with the Falcons in 2019 (75-787-6) and is unlikely to revive his career with the Raiders, should the two agree to a deal.

Hooper came into the season the clear-cut top option on the Tennessee depth chart but was largely confined to situational receiving work amidst primary blocking duties this season. The veteran tight end finishes his 2022 campaign with 37 catches for 406 yards and the lone touchdown as he heads into free agency, likely looking to secure a modest contract as a blocking tight end.

His 16-yard catch was the longest of the day for the Titans. Now there’s a sentence that screams “TE2-only” for Week 16 against the Cowboys.

Hooper has been out-targeted by Chig Okonkwo in back-to-back games. He has topped 50 yards just twice this year. Hooper will be a weak streaming option in Week 16 against the Texans.