When free agency opens in March, Austin Hooper will be the most desirable free agent tight end. (Hunter Henry, apparently, is likely to be franchised by the Chargers.) It's a little surprising the Falcons will let him test the open market (which usually means a player is gone), but they've got cap issues. It's not at all surprising the teams that are already being connected to him.
Media reports today have both the Packers and Bears among Hooper's suitors, and that's probably just a short list. After catching 75 passes and 6 touchdowns in 13 games, he made a case for being one of the top options at his position. Statistically, the only guys better on a per game basis were probably the league's two best tight ends, Travis Kelce and George Kittle.
That was the case in fantasy leagues. Hooper averaged 14,7 PPR points per game, trailing only Kelce and Kittle. The Packers and Bears, getting by with Jimmy Graham, Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen, didn't have a top-25 performer.
| TIGHT END PRODUCTION, 2019 (PER GAME) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | St | No | Rec | TD | FPG |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | 16 | 6.1 | 76.8 | .38 | 16.0 |
| George Kittle, S.F. | 14 | 6.1 | 75.2 | .36 | 15.9 |
| Austin Hooper, Atl. | 13 | 5.8 | 60.5 | .49 | 14.7 |
| Zach Ertz, Phil. | 15 | 5.9 | 61.1 | .42 | 14.5 |
| Mark Andrews, Balt. | 15 | 4.3 | 56.8 | .67 | 13.9 |
| Darren Waller, Oak. | 16 | 5.6 | 71.6 | .19 | 13.9 |
| Evan Engram, NYG | 8 | 5.5 | 58.4 | .38 | 13.7 |
| Hunter Henry, LAC | 12 | 4.6 | 54.3 | .44 | 12.7 |
| Jared Cook, N.O. | 14 | 3.1 | 50.4 | .64 | 12.0 |
| Tyler Higbee, LAR | 15 | 4.6 | 48.9 | .20 | 10.7 |
| Jacob Hollister, Sea. | 8 | 4.5 | 38.9 | .38 | 10.6 |
| Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 15 | 3.9 | 40.5 | .33 | 9.9 |
| Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 3.9 | 33.1 | .27 | 8.9 |
| Greg Olsen, Car. | 14 | 3.7 | 42.6 | .14 | 8.8 |
| Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 16 | 3.2 | 35.6 | .31 | 8.6 |
| Eric Ebron, Ind. | 11 | 2.8 | 34.1 | .27 | 7.9 |
| Ryan Griffin, NYJ | 13 | 2.6 | 24.6 | .41 | 7.5 |
| Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 16 | 2.4 | 22.9 | .40 | 7.1 |
| Noah Fant, Den. | 16 | 2.5 | 35.1 | .19 | 7.1 |
| Jack Doyle, Ind. | 16 | 2.7 | 28.0 | .25 | 7.0 |
| Gerald Everett, LAR | 13 | 2.8 | 31.4 | .15 | 6.9 |
| Darren Fells, Hou. | 16 | 2.1 | 21.3 | .44 | 6.9 |
| T.J. Hockenson, Det. | 12 | 2.7 | 30.6 | .17 | 6.7 |
| Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 16 | 2.7 | 27.3 | .21 | 6.7 |
| Jonnu Smith, Ten. | 16 | 2.2 | 27.4 | .19 | 6.5 |
| Jimmy Graham, G.B. | 16 | 2.4 | 27.9 | .19 | 6.3 |
| O.J. Howard, T.B. | 14 | 2.4 | 32.8 | .07 | 6.1 |
| Vance McDonald, Pitt. | 14 | 2.7 | 19.5 | .21 | 6.0 |
| Cameron Brate, T.B. | 16 | 2.3 | 19.4 | .25 | 5.7 |
| Jordan Akins, Hou. | 16 | 2.3 | 26.1 | .13 | 5.6 |
| Blake Jarwin, Dall. | 16 | 1.9 | 22.8 | .19 | 5.3 |
| Dawson Knox, Buff. | 15 | 1.9 | 25.9 | .13 | 5.3 |
| Foster Moreau, Oak. | 13 | 1.6 | 13.4 | .38 | 5.3 |
| Irv Smith, Min. | 16 | 2.3 | 19.4 | .13 | 4.9 |
| Ricky Seals-Jones, Cle. | 12 | 1.1 | 17.9 | .33 | 4.9 |
| Hayden Hurst, Balt. | 16 | 1.9 | 21.8 | .13 | 4.8 |
| Nick Boyle, Balt. | 16 | 1.9 | 20.1 | .13 | 4.7 |
| Josh Hill, N.O. | 16 | 1.6 | 14.1 | .19 | 4.1 |
| Jeremy Sprinkle, Was. | 11 | 1.7 | 16.9 | .09 | 4.0 |
| C.J. Uzomah, Cin. | 16 | 1.7 | 15.1 | .13 | 4.0 |
| Anthony Firkser, Ten. | 9 | 1.3 | 16.9 | .11 | 3.7 |
| Demetrius Harris, Cle. | 14 | 1.1 | 10.6 | .24 | 3.6 |
| Benjamin Watson, N.E. | 10 | 1.7 | 17.3 | .00 | 3.4 |
| Charles Clay, Ariz. | 15 | 1.2 | 15.8 | .07 | 3.2 |
| Matt LaCosse, N.E. | 11 | 1.2 | 11.9 | .09 | 2.9 |
| Trey Burton, Chi. | 8 | 1.8 | 10.5 | .00 | 2.8 |
| Maxx Williams, Ariz. | 16 | .9 | 12.6 | .06 | 2.6 |
| Adam Shaheen, Chi. | 8 | 1.1 | 9.3 | .04 | 2.3 |
| Marcedes Lewis, G.B. | 16 | .9 | 9.8 | .06 | 2.3 |
| Jeff Heuerman, Den. | 14 | 1.0 | 8.1 | .07 | 2.2 |
Henry, potentially, will also be available. Eric Ebron, Tyler Eifert and even elderly Jason Witten are possibilities. But Hooper should definitely be the guy to cash in next month.
--Andy Richardson