TEN TE Austin Hooper - 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook

2022 Fantasy Upside
Austin Hooper is coming off a pedestrian season in Cleveland where he managed to catch only 38 balls for 345 yards and three touchdowns over 16 games. Hooper posted a mere 5.7 yards per target in 2021, the lowest number of his career. The good news for Hooper is he is now in Tennessee where he should be the primary pass catching tight end in an offense in need of playmaking following the departure of A.J. Brown via trade. Hooper's time in Atlanta established him as a solid pass catcher, and the hope is a change of scenery will revive his offensive abilities now that he's paired with Ryan Tannehill. With only Geoff Swaim behind him on the depth chart and the Titans' wideouts being 30-year-old Robert Woods and rookie Treylon Burks, Hooper should get more opportunity in 2022 than he ever did in Cleveland.

2022 Fantasy Downside
Hooper has never been a particularly explosive player, meaning he requires significant volume to return any fantasy value. Nothing on Hooper's statistical profile jumps off the page from an efficiency standpoint aside from the fact that he rarely drops passes. The Titans employ a run-first offense with Derrick Henry leading the way, and that could be emphasized more than ever this season without a downfield threat like Brown in the lineup. Hooper's limitations as a player and the questions surrounding how the Titans offense will look with all its personnel changes render Hooper a low-ceiling TE2 for fantasy purposes.

2022 Bottom Line
It is certainly possible Hooper expands on his statistical production from Cleveland this season. With the Browns, Hooper had to compete in a crowded tight end room which will not be an issue in Tennessee. However, the Titans offense does not look like much of an upgrade over the Browns under current circumstances, and Hooper's inability to turn receptions into long gains means he will be touchdown dependent in fantasy leagues and only worthy of TE2 consideration.