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DeAndre Hopkins

Veteran wideout willing to wait

The Cardinals released DeAndre Hopkins last week, and initial reports supposed a huge battle for his services between championship contenders Buffalo and Kansas City. A week later, at least one of those teams is apparently out of the running, and there may be a different favorite for his services.

Hopkins might like to play with Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen on a playoff team, all things being equal, but it's not a requirement. He's "prepared to be patient," according to an ESPN story, suggesting he hasn't been getting the financial offers he's looking for. Another report says he's open to returning to Houston, making it clear that a Super Bowl anytime soon is not going to determine where he ends up. Then one yesterday said Cleveland, and his former quarterback Deshaun Watson, is the front runner.

Hopkins turns 31 next week, and due to a PED suspension and then an injury, he's missed 15 games the last two seasons. But if he's slowing down at all, it's not apparent in his numbers. A year ago, in a lesser situation in Arizona, he racked up his usual kind of production, little different from what he's been doing for years.

Over the last six years, 49 wide receivers who have played at least half the season have averaged 17 fantasy points (PPR) per game. Hopkins has done it in five of those years, including 2022.

WIDE RECEIVERS FANTASY POINTS PER GAME, 2017-2022
YearPlayerGTgtRecYdsAvgTDPPRFF/G
2021Cooper Kupp, LAR17191145194713.416439.525.9
2020Davante Adams, G.B.14149115137412.018360.425.7
2019Michael Thomas, N.O.16185149172511.69374.623.4
2022Cooper Kupp, LAR9987581210.86203.422.6
2017Antonio Brown, Pitt.14163101153315.29310.322.2
2018Davante Adams, G.B.15169111138612.513329.622.0
2020Tyreek Hill, K.C.1513587127614.715328.921.9
2022Justin Jefferson, Min.17184128180914.18369.021.7
2018Antonio Brown, Pitt.15168104129712.515323.721.6
2021Davante Adams, G.B.16169123155312.611344.321.5
2021Deebo Samuel, S.F.1612177140518.36343.221.5
2018DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.16163115157213.711337.521.1
2018Tyreek Hill, K.C.1613787147917.012334.020.9
2017DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.1517496137814.413311.820.8
2018Julio Jones, Atl.16170113167714.88329.920.6
2020Stefon Diggs, Buff.16166127153512.18328.620.5
2022JaMarr Chase, Cin.1213487104612.09246.420.5
2022Tyreek Hill, Mia.17170119171014.47347.220.4
2018Michael Thomas, N.O.16147125140511.29319.520.0
2022Stefon Diggs, Buff.16154108142913.211316.619.8
2022Davante Adams, L.V.17180100151615.214335.519.7
2019Chris Godwin, T.B.1412186133315.59276.119.7
2021Justin Jefferson, Min.17167108161615.010332.819.6
2018Odell Beckham, NYG1212477105213.76233.419.5
2018Adam Thielen, Min.16153113137312.29309.319.3
2020Calvin Ridley, Atl.1514390137415.39283.518.9
2018JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt.16166111142612.97298.918.7
2018Mike Evans, T.B.1613886152417.78292.418.3
2019Julio Jones, Atl.1515799139414.16274.118.3
2020DeAndre Hopkins, Ariz.16160115140712.26291.818.2
2019DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.15150104116511.27270.618.0
2021JaMarr Chase, Cin.1712881145518.013306.618.0
2019Mike Evans, T.B.1311867115717.38232.717.9
2019Davante Adams, G.B.121278399712.05214.717.9
2022A.J. Brown, Phil.1714588149617.011303.617.9
2020A.J. Brown, Ten.1410670107515.411249.517.8
2020Keenan Allen, LAC141471009929.98249.117.8
2017Keenan Allen, LAC16159102139313.76284.217.8
2018Stefon Diggs, Min.15149102102110.09266.317.8
2022CeeDee Lamb, Dall.17156107135912.79301.617.7
2021Chris Godwin, T.B.1412798110311.35246.417.6
2021Tyreek Hill, K.C.17159111123911.29298.517.6
2021Diontae Johnson, Pitt.16169107116110.98278.417.4
2018Julian Edelman, N.E.121087485011.56207.917.3
2020Will Fuller, Hou.11755387916.68188.917.2
2020Justin Jefferson, Min.1612588140015.97274.217.1
2020DK Metcalf, Sea.1612983130315.710273.317.1
2022DeAndre Hopkins, Ari.9966471711.23153.717.1
2018T.Y. Hilton, Ind.1412076127016.76239.017.1

Buffalo, short on cap room, is reportedly out of the running for Hopkins. Kansas City was supposedly interested in trading for him earlier in the offseason, but there hasn't been much confirmation of current interest (and the team was content to operate without a go-to wideout a year ago and did just fine).

I'd be interested in Hopkins going to the Giants. It's maybe not the best landing spot for his value, but it is the team that seems the most suspect at wide receiver. Perhaps the Saints figure out a way to add him, if Michael Thomas fails to get healthy.

The Browns would be less than ideal. They have Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and a couple of youngsters, all of whom would be negatively affected by Hopkins moving in as lead dog. Especially Cooper, since Kevin Stefanski’s offense producing a pair of top-20 wide receivers would be new, even if Watson returns to peak form.

But Hopkins himself doesn’t seem to have lost much, at least based on the numbers.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index