Austin Hooper was one of many Browns players placed on the COVID-19 list this week, and the amount of disruption led to the NFL moving the game to Monday night. While he’s not dealing with an injury, the COVID-19 positive left Hooper’s status in jeopardy. Will Hooper be available for your fantasy football playoff lineup, and how has he performed so far this season with the Browns?
Update 12/20/21: The Cleveland Browns did not activate Austin Hooper off of the reserve/COVID list. He will not play today against the Raiders.
Will Austin Hooper play tonight vs. the Raiders?
We don’t know as of yet who will test negative for the Browns ahead of tonight’s game. Any players who have the potential to play will need to confirm a negative test by 2 PM to be eligible for the game.
That cohort includes Hooper. The Browns activated guard Wyatt Teller from the COVID-19 list yesterday, so there is light at the end of the tunnel that some players currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list will be available for the game tonight. Today’s news will be telling of who makes it back and who doesn’t.
How has Hooper played so far this season?
Hooper currently has 291 yards and 3 touchdowns this season for the Browns. He totaled 497 and 5 TDs last year — his first season with the team.
His 8.8 yards per reception is the lowest it’s been since he came into the NFL. During his stint with the Atlanta Falcons, Hooper averaged 10.9 yards per catch across four seasons.
Fellow tight end David Njoku has slowly been more involved as this season progressed, and he’s arguably been performing at a higher rate than Hooper.
If Hooper is out for the game, Njoku will take the majority of additional reps. Harrison Bryant, who’s questionable at the time of writing, will take the backup reps at tight end if cleared to play.
An AFC clash with massive playoff implications
The Browns are currently third in the AFC North with a 7-6 record, just one game back from the Ravens and the Bengals. With the Ravens’ loss to the Packers yesterday, they stay within sight of the Browns tonight. The Bengals won against the Broncos, making both them and the Ravens 8-6.
A Browns win tonight puts them on the same record as both teams. Cleveland is tied 1-1 head to head against the Ravens, and they have a current 1-0 lead against the Bengals. They face Cincinnati again in Week 18, the last game of the regular season.