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After two weeks, Austin Hooper has been a pleasant surprise for the Atlanta Falcons as he has emerged as their number-two receiving threat.
The third-year tight end ranks second on the team -- behind Julio Jones -- in targets (9), catches (8), and yards (83) following a big performance against the Carolina Panthers. Last week, Hooper was targeted 5 times, hauling in all of 5 looks for 59 yards and a touchdown. Hooper has virtually no competition for snaps at tight end in Atlanta, either. For the season, he has seen the most snaps of any Falcons' back or receiver -- 112 or 84.1% -- and will be in line for another busy week in what is shaping up to be a high-scoring affair in Week 3 versus the struggling defense of the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints' defense has been awful so far, allowing the fourth-most passing yards in the league, at a shade more than 325 per game. They currently sit second-to-last in the NFL in overall and pass defense, per our schedule-adjusted metrics. Their top cornerback -- Marshon Lattimore, a top-shelf defensive back -- could be shadowing Jones in this game, as well. That should leave more targets up for grabs for Hooper this Sunday in a game the Falcons own an implied point total of 28.0 points, the fourth-highest of the week.