Big things were expected of Austin Hooper when he signed with the Browns during the free agency period. Cleveland’s offense has seen a long-time-coming surge over the last three weeks of the season, but it has come through a powerful run game, which doesn’t bode well for Hooper’s production. The Browns will look to extend their winning streak to four against the Colts on Sunday, as Hooper tried to increase his production.
Fantasy Football analysis: Browns TE Austin Hooper
As anticipated before the season began, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry have led the team in targets with 30 and 19 respectively. Hooper, however, is not far behind with 17 looks. He has hauled in 12 catches for 96 yards and found the end zone for the first time last week after receiving a season-high 7 targets. He hasn’t been overly productive so far into 2020 and falls outside of the top 20 in fantasy production by tight ends. In addition, rookie Harrison Bryant is in the mix for playing time and takes away passing down opportunities on a team that hands the ball off more often than not.
Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation
Against a stout Colts run defense, head coach Keven Stefanski may be forced to turn to the air more than he has to date. If that is the case, the Indianapolis second level is where some points could be found and Hooper could foreseeable find the end zone in the second half. With that being said, he is only worth consideration in season-long fantasy formats if your team’s starting tight end is on a bye week or injured. Otherwise, Hooper should be on your bench and should not be considered in daily fantasy formats.