With fantasy drafts getting underway, managers are doing their homework on various NFL players and cramming for draft day. That means getting caught up on the latest injury news, including the knee injury Tennessee Titans star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins suffered during camp. What’s the latest on Hopkins’ health, and should you still draft him?
The Latest on DeAndre Hopkins’ Injury
Titans leading WR DeAndre Hopkins was one of the first significant injuries of training camps across the league when he suffered a knee injury that is expected to keep him out for several weeks.
Hopkins was initially expected to miss four to six weeks, which could have jeopardized his status for the 2024 season opener. However, Titans head coach Brian Callahan told reporters on Sunday that they expect Hopkins to play in their Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Brian Callahan said DeAndre Hopkins should be back soon. The #Titans expect to have him back for the season opener.
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) August 18, 2024
This is excellent news for Hopkins and anyone who drafted him, as he avoided a serious injury. But what can we expect from Hopkins entering the 2024 season?
DeAndre Hopkins’ Fantasy Outlook
The fantasy dominance we saw from Hopkins during his days with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals feels like a distant memory at this point, given that he hasn’t produced a top-20 fantasy season since 2020.
His fantasy production dropped considerably on a per-game basis in his first year with the Titans. Still, Hopkins flashed some of his ability to produce top-tier fantasy performances at moments over the 2023 campaign with three 100-yard performances, including Week 8, when he scored three touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons.
Hopkins just turned 32 years old, which certainly isn’t working in his favor. Neither did this offseason’s addition of Calvin Ridley. Ridley may best be suited as a great complementary option to work opposite of Hopkins, but it shouldn’t help the latter’s elite 28.6% target share increase from 2023.
On the surface, Hopkins produced his sixth 1,000-yard receiving season in a Titans’ passing game that was substandard last year. It’s uncertain to get any better with Will Levis heading into his second season.
Yet, Hopkins’ 1,905 air yards and 35 deep-passing targets both ranked second in the league at the WR position last season, suggesting there could be some jump in production if Levis develops adequately.
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that will be the case. This means Hopkins’ drop in efficiency last year could continue to plague his fantasy value. His 13.2 fantasy points per game ranked 29th among receivers, which isn’t terrible but doesn’t exactly project a return to WR1 status with Ridley joining the offense.