What to Expect from Austin Hooper in 2020
It could be challenging for Austin Hooper to rack up a lot of stats considering the circumstances. He will be going from one of the league’s most productive passing attacks with the Atlanta Falcons to a Cleveland Browns team that was below league average in key categories.
The expectation for the Browns is that using no shortage of multiple tight end sets with David Njoku and Hooper. There will only be so many targets to go around in the offense to the top targets, resulting in a potential decline in production for certain individuals.
ESPN recently released its league-wide projections for all of the NFL’s offensive players for the 2020 season. The expectation they have for Hooper is that he ends up receiving 67 targets, 49 receptions, 526 yards, and five touchdowns. All of which are lower than his 2019 totals.
It appears as if the projections are accounting for the other talents Hooper will be playing with beyond just Njoku. Between a reliable running game and high-level wide receivers, there won’t be a ton of opportunities for him to rack up a high-volume in the stat sheet.
The primary deciding factor regarding whether the Browns’ offense will be successful will not be Hooper. Instead, it will be pivotal for Baker Mayfield to take the next step as a player considering all of the talent he will have around him that has accumulated over the last two years.
It’s safe to expect Hooper to play a key role for the Browns in 2020. He will need to emphasize making an impact in areas that do not show up in the box score, particularly as a blocker. That’s an area he struggled with in Atlanta that held their running game back at times.
