Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Austin Hooper vs Colston LovelandWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Colston Loveland is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 8.5 PPG to Austin Hooper's 4.0 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Colston Loveland is the better fantasy play this season.

Colston Loveland has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 4.5-PPG advantage is real (8.5 to 4.0), and Colston Loveland's 6 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

TEChicago Bears#16PPG LEADER

Colston Loveland

PPG

8.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

713

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 10

The Edge Chart

Austin Hooper

Colston Loveland

Head to Head

4.0 PPG8.5 PPG

15 GP16 GP

Bye: Week 14Bye: Week 10

Fantasy Tiers

Austin Hooper: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #99 at the position). Colston Loveland: Tier 3 (Flex/Starter) TE (ranked #16 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Austin Hooper is producing at 18% of elite pace and Colston Loveland at 39%. That ranking gap means Colston Loveland carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Austin Hooper vs Colston Loveland: The Full Breakdown

Austin Hooper and Colston Loveland 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 Colston Loveland posted 8.5 PPG in 16 appearances for the Chicago Bears.

A 4.5-PPG gap gives Colston Loveland 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.

Colston Loveland is the volume tight end in this matchup with 58 receptions for 713 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 Colston Loveland, but the floor gap is real.

One scheduling note: Austin Hooper is off Week 14 and Colston Loveland Week 10. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Colston Loveland at a discount because your league-mates undervalue tight end production, do it. Austin Hooper is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Austin Hooper (age 27) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value. Colston Loveland (age 22) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset.

Did You Know?

•Colston Loveland outscored Austin Hooper by a projected 77 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Colston Loveland played 16 games in 2025 compared to Austin Hooper's 15. That durability gap means Colston Loveland contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Colston Loveland scored 6 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.4 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Colston Loveland saw 82 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 Colston Loveland: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Austin Hooper	Colston Loveland
PPG (Half-PPR)	4.0	8.5
Games Played	15	16
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	60	136
Receptions	32	58
Rec/Game	2.1	3.6
Receiving Yards	292	713
Rec Yds/Game	19.5	44.6
Receiving TDs	1	6
Targets	42	82
Target Share/Game	2.8	5.1
Age	-	22
Bye Week	Week 14	Week 10

Summary

Colston Loveland outscored Austin Hooper by 4.5 PPG in 2025 (8.5 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 Colston Loveland in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Colston Loveland has the edge at 8.5 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 Colston Loveland average in 2025?▾

Austin Hooper averaged 4.0 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 15 games in 2025. Colston Loveland averaged 8.5 PPG over 16 games. That is a difference of 4.5 points per game.

When are Austin Hooper and Colston Loveland's bye weeks in 2026?▾

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

Is Austin Hooper or Colston Loveland a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Colston Loveland outscored Austin Hooper by 4.5 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.