Hooper was mentioned by head coach Dan Quinn at this week's NFL owners meetings as one player who the Falcons expect elevated performance from in 2018, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. "I'm really looking forward to where Austin Hooper is going to go," Quinn said this week at the NFL owners meeting, "In the run game, he can get better... (but) he's a really committed football guy. I think there will be a big jump."
Hooper increased his catch total from 19 during his rookie campaign to 49 in his sophomore season, but Quinn still sees substantial room for growth in the young tight end's game. It's likely that improvement as a blocker would help Hooper increase his snap count from last season's 76.6 percent, but more consistent production as a receiver would also significantly bolster his chances of being a part of the Falcons' long-term plans. Hooper enjoyed a promising first half of the season in 2017, averaging nine fantasy points per game in PPR scoring through Week 10 before seeing that figure tumble to 3.2 in the second half.