Despite playing in Week 1, DeAndre Hopkins has fantasy managers concerned about his Week 2 status. Will Hopkins play in Week 2? Let’s look at Hopkins’ latest injury status, whether or not he is expected to play today, and what his fantasy outlook is if he does play today.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and Start/Sit Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
Editor’s Note: DeAndre Hopkins is active for Week 2.
Is DeAndre Hopkins Going To Play Week 2?
Hopkins has been dealing with an ankle injury, which put his Week 1 status in doubt. However, Hopkins played in Week 1 without any limits. This week, however, Hopkins has not practiced once. He has missed every session. Therefore, what does this mean for his Week 2 status?
Well, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN this morning, Hopkins is due to play. He posted this morning on X: “Titans’ WR DeAndre Hopkins, listed as questionable for Sunday due to an ankle injury, is expected to play vs. the Chargers, per source.”
Therefore, it appears the Titans’ coaching staff is just managing the injury for now and allowing Hopkins to just play games until it improves.
What Does This Mean for Hopkins’ Fantasy Ranking?
As it is now safe to assume Hopkins will play this week, what does this mean for his fantasy ranking? As of the time of writing, Hopkins is currently ranked at WR28 in our Consensus Rankings.
Hopkins’ usage last week was amazing from a fantasy perspective. He logged a 38% target share and a whopping 13 targets, catching seven of those for 65 yards against the New Orleans Saints last week. However, he also ran routes on 92% of routes, showing no sign that the ankle was affecting him during the game.
While the Titans’ lead receiver would have liked to be more productive, it is usage like this that points to him being a top-20 wide receiver option most weeks and therefore a must-start option.
MORE: Fantasy News Tracker
The Titans play the Los Angeles Chargers this week, who got absolutely torched through the air. The Chargers’ defense gave up a league-high 466 yards receiving in Week 1. And while the Titans don’t possess the weapons or potency that the Miami Dolphins do, the Chargers’ secondary is the weakness to exploit on their defense.
Fantasy managers should not be concerned about the injury to Hopkins and put him in their lineups this week, especially as Treylon Burks has been away from the team this week due to a personal matter. While Hopkins has not been practicing, he has been at the facility this week and apparently working with the coaches.
It is likely the Titans will be in a negative game script as the Chargers are favorites at -145 and a fairly low over/under of 45.5 points. Therefore, expect Hopkins to retain a similar usage to what we saw in Week 1, where he was the WR26 in PPR scoring. An extra reception from his target volume, or some extra yards will see him finish inside the top 20 this week. And, if he can find the end zone, it’ll boost that ranking even higher.