Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Austin Hooper vs Cade OttonWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Cade Otton is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 6.2 PPG to Austin Hooper's 4.0 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Cade Otton is the better fantasy play this season.

Cade Otton has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 2.2-PPG advantage is real (6.2 to 4.0), and Cade Otton's 1 touchdowns show scoring upside. Austin Hooper is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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TENew England Patriots#99

Austin Hooper

PPG

4.0

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

292

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 14

TETampa Bay Buccaneers#29PPG LEADER

Cade Otton

PPG

6.2

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

572

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 10

The Edge Chart

Austin Hooper

Cade Otton

Head to Head

4.0 PPG6.2 PPG

15 GP15 GP

Bye: Week 14Bye: Week 10

Fantasy Tiers

Austin Hooper: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #99 at the position). Cade Otton: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) TE (ranked #29 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Austin Hooper is producing at 18% of elite pace and Cade Otton at 28%. That ranking gap means Cade Otton carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Austin Hooper vs Cade Otton: The Full Breakdown

Austin Hooper and Cade Otton are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Austin Hooper averaged 4.0 PPG across 15 games with the New England Patriots, while Cade Otton posted 6.2 PPG in 15 appearances for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A 2.2-PPG gap gives Cade Otton the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.

Cade Otton is the volume tight end in this matchup with 59 receptions for 572 yards, while Austin Hooper profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 32 catches). In weeks where Austin Hooper finds the end zone he out-scores Cade Otton, but the floor gap is real.

Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Austin Hooper sits Week 14 while Cade Otton is off Week 10. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

Both are in a similar trade value range. A straight swap would be fair in most leagues, with the tiebreaker going to whichever manager values schedule or bye week more. Dynasty outlook: Austin Hooper (age 27) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value. Cade Otton (age 27) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value.

Did You Know?

•Cade Otton outscored Austin Hooper by a projected 37 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Austin Hooper scored 1 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.1 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Cade Otton saw 81 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Austin Hooper vs Cade Otton: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Austin Hooper	Cade Otton
PPG (Half-PPR)	4.0	6.2
Games Played	15	15
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	60	93
Receptions	32	59
Rec/Game	2.1	3.9
Receiving Yards	292	572
Rec Yds/Game	19.5	38.1
Receiving TDs	1	1
Targets	42	81
Target Share/Game	2.8	5.4
Age	-	27
Experience	-	3 yrs
Bye Week	Week 14	Week 10

Summary

Cade Otton outscored Austin Hooper by 2.2 PPG in 2025 (6.2 to 4.0). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Austin Hooper or Cade Otton in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Cade Otton has the edge at 6.2 PPG compared to Austin Hooper's 4.0 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Austin Hooper and Cade Otton average in 2025?▾

Austin Hooper averaged 4.0 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 15 games in 2025. Cade Otton averaged 6.2 PPG over 15 games. That is a difference of 2.2 points per game.

When are Austin Hooper and Cade Otton's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Austin Hooper (NE) has a bye in Week 14, and Cade Otton (TB) has a bye in Week 10. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Austin Hooper or Cade Otton a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Cade Otton outscored Austin Hooper by 2.2 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.