The question of is DeAndre Hopkins playing on Monday Night Football has hung over fantasy football managers since he was a non-participant at practice on Thursday. With the Arizona Cardinals‘ star WR dealing with a hamstring injury, fantasy managers have a really tough choice to make with their lineups on Sunday.
Let’s take a look at the latest news we have regarding Hopkins’ status for Week 11 and what options fantasy managers have this week.
Update: According to Josina Anderson, DeAndre Hopkins will be active for the Cardinals in their Week 11 game.
Is DeAndre Hopkins Playing Monday?
We actually have very little in the way of clarity when it comes to Hopkins’ status for Week 11. The Cardinals’ WR was listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report. While he was at least able to practice Friday and Saturday, it was only in a limited capacity, so we don’t know definitely whether Hopkins will suit up Monday.
Hamstring injuries are really tough to judge. We’ve seen Keenan Allen miss virtually the entire season as he dealt with the issue and the ramifications of trying to come back from them. We also have experience with this injury for Hopkins from last season.
Hopkins dealt with a hamstring issue heating into the Cardinals’ Week 8 Thursday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers. In that game, he managed two receptions for 66 yards while playing just 25% of the offensive snaps. He then missed the next three games after extensively hurting his hamstring by trying to play through it.
MORE: WR Injury Report Week 11
That is somewhat of the conundrum the Cardinals have this week. Do they try to push Hopkins on the field and play through the injury? At 4-6, a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico could leave the Cardinals’ season hanging by a thread. Therefore, resting Hopkins in the hope that he can return in Week 12 might be leaving it too late.
The decision could also depend on whether the Cardinals feel Marquise Brown is ready to be activated from IR this week. As he looks set to return from his foot surgery, Brown is a candidate to be activated, but we likely won’t know that until Monday.
Now, fantasy managers are left in a state of limbo. Let’s examine whether Hopkins is a player that is worth fantasy managers taking the risk this week or whether it might just be better to sit him out of an abundance of caution.
Fantasy Outlook for DeAndre Hopkins in Week 11
There is so much uncertainty over Hopkins this week, and that is even in the case of the matchup itself. The 49ers sit very much in the middle of the pack this season when it comes to fantasy points allowed to opposing WRs. Their 27.24 fantasy points allowed to the position are marginally above the average (27.02) this season.
The 49ers have also been a really weird defense to figure out against receivers. Despite giving up a whopping 65.4 fantasy points to the Kansas City Chiefs WRs in Week 7, they haven’t given up more than 30 fantasy points to the position in any other matchup. So outside of that one blow-up performance, the ceiling against San Francisco has been relatively limited.
It’s worth noting that Hopkins has had good recent performances against the 49ers. In 2020 and 2021, he combined for 286 receiving yards and a touchdown on 28 receptions. He scored double-digit fantasy points in half-PPR scoring in two of those three games.
If he’s not limited, there won’t be a question about whether to start him or not. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The fact that Kyler Murray is also questionable could have compounded the concern, but Hopkins produced solid, if unexciting, numbers with Colt McCoy under center last week (10 receptions for 98 yards).
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Entering Sunday morning, this is a big risk-reward play. Hopkins’ upside is always enticing, but the downside is not inconsiderable. The uncertainty does make him an intriguing value in Week 11 Underdog Fantasy Best Ball leagues. If Hopkins’ injury status means he drops in value, then drafting him could pay off in a big way at a heavily reduced price.
Unfortunately, in season-long leagues, fantasy managers don’t have the same luxuries as in Best Ball formats. If Hopkins is inactive tomorrow, then fantasy managers could be left with nowhere to turn. Unless you have another Monday Night Football option you can turn to if he is inactive, you have to take the consideration of benching Hopkins this week seriously.
Of course, it all depends on your other options, so be sure to check out our Week 11 WR fantasy rankings to see where your other potential options to Hopkins rank this week.