It's a hot time for rookie drafts in dynasty leagues, and also for dynasty startups. I like to search out ADP data and mock drafts, and they're easy to find. Most of them begin the same way: Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott, sometimes Alvin Kamara. And I get it; they're all 22-23 years old and the kind of back to build a team around. But maybe the wide receivers deserve more attention, especially DeAndre Hopkins.
Hopkins comes off his best season, setting career highs in both catches (115) and yards (1,572) in his sixth NFL season. It was a full year of working with the best quarterback he's had for his career. No reason to think 2019, with Deshaun Watson, won't be even better. But even while working with a lot of lesser passers (Savage, Osweiler, Hoyer, Fitzpatrick, Schaub) Hopkins has dominated his offense like no other wideout this century.
Since 2000, there have been 56 wide receiver seasons where one player accounted for at least 35 percent of his team's receiving yards. It's a short list of guys who have done it more than twice: Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Andre Johnson and Hopkins. In the last five seasons, there have been a total of seven such years. Hopkins has four of them, and is the only guy to do it the last two seasons.
WIDE RECEIVERS 35 PERCENT OF RECEIVING YARDS, 2000-PRESENT | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | No | Yds | Team | Pct |
2018 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 115 | 1572 | 4165 | 37.7 |
2017 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 96 | 1378 | 3644 | 37.8 |
2015 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 136 | 1871 | 4602 | 40.7 |
2015 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 136 | 1834 | 4822 | 38.0 |
2015 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 111 | 1521 | 4079 | 37.3 |
2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 109 | 1502 | 4170 | 36.0 |
2014 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 76 | 1210 | 3460 | 35.0 |
2013 | Vincent Jackson, T.B. | 78 | 1224 | 3181 | 38.5 |
2013 | Josh Gordon, Clev. | 87 | 1646 | 4372 | 37.6 |
2013 | Anquan Boldin, S.F. | 85 | 1179 | 3210 | 36.7 |
2012 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 118 | 1508 | 3298 | 45.7 |
2012 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 112 | 1598 | 4046 | 39.5 |
2012 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 122 | 1964 | 5139 | 38.2 |
2012 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 97 | 1350 | 3807 | 35.5 |
2011 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 80 | 1411 | 3954 | 35.7 |
2011 | Brandon Marshall, Mia. | 81 | 1214 | 3425 | 35.4 |
2011 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 81 | 1159 | 3288 | 35.2 |
2010 | Roddy White, Atl. | 115 | 1389 | 3725 | 37.3 |
2010 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 72 | 1162 | 3189 | 36.4 |
2008 | Steve Smith, Car. | 78 | 1421 | 3288 | 43.2 |
2008 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 78 | 1331 | 3299 | 40.3 |
2008 | Roddy White, Atl. | 88 | 1382 | 3440 | 40.2 |
2008 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 115 | 1575 | 4474 | 35.2 |
2007 | Reggie Wayne, Ind. | 104 | 1510 | 4175 | 36.2 |
2007 | Brandon Marshall, Den. | 102 | 1325 | 3759 | 35.2 |
2006 | Lee Evans, Buff. | 82 | 1292 | 3051 | 42.3 |
2006 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 103 | 1147 | 3032 | 37.8 |
2006 | Javon Walker, Den. | 69 | 1084 | 2995 | 36.2 |
2006 | Joey Galloway, T.B. | 62 | 1057 | 2994 | 35.3 |
2005 | Steve Smith, Car. | 103 | 1563 | 3485 | 44.8 |
2005 | Santana Moss, Wash. | 84 | 1483 | 3346 | 44.3 |
2005 | Joey Galloway, T.B. | 83 | 1287 | 3171 | 40.6 |
2005 | Chad Johnson, Cin. | 97 | 1432 | 3935 | 36.4 |
2004 | Joe Horn, N.O. | 94 | 1399 | 3810 | 36.7 |
2004 | Chad Johnson, Cin. | 95 | 1274 | 3520 | 36.2 |
2004 | Muhsin Muhammad, Car. | 93 | 1405 | 3889 | 36.1 |
2004 | Jimmy Smith, Jac. | 74 | 1172 | 3315 | 35.4 |
2003 | Anquan Boldin, Ariz. | 101 | 1377 | 3265 | 42.2 |
2003 | Torry Holt, St.L. | 117 | 1696 | 4287 | 39.6 |
2003 | Randy Moss, Minn. | 111 | 1632 | 4169 | 39.1 |
2003 | Chad Johnson, Cin. | 90 | 1355 | 3591 | 37.7 |
2003 | Laveranues Coles, Wash. | 82 | 1204 | 3273 | 36.8 |
2002 | Marvin Harrison, Ind. | 143 | 1722 | 4200 | 41.0 |
2002 | Terrell Owens, S.F. | 100 | 1300 | 3576 | 36.4 |
2002 | Marty Booker, Chi. | 97 | 1183 | 3316 | 35.7 |
2002 | Joe Horn, N.O. | 88 | 1312 | 3685 | 35.6 |
2001 | David Boston, Ariz. | 98 | 1598 | 3653 | 43.7 |
2001 | Rod Smith, Den. | 113 | 1343 | 3208 | 41.9 |
2001 | Terrell Owens, S.F. | 93 | 1412 | 3559 | 39.7 |
2001 | Jimmy Smith, Jac. | 112 | 1373 | 3670 | 37.4 |
2001 | Marvin Harrison, Ind. | 109 | 1524 | 4227 | 36.1 |
2001 | Troy Brown, N.E. | 101 | 1199 | 3326 | 36.0 |
2001 | Keyshawn Johnson, T.B. | 106 | 1266 | 3621 | 35.0 |
2000 | Joe Horn, N.O. | 94 | 1340 | 3573 | 37.5 |
2000 | Rod Smith, Den. | 100 | 1602 | 4464 | 35.9 |
2000 | Randy Moss, Minn. | 77 | 1437 | 4019 | 35.8 |
Hopkins is 26 years old; not entering his prime, perhaps, but certainly in the early part of it. His best years might still be ahead of him. Impressive stuff.
--Andy Richardson