The question of where DeAndre Hopkins will play this season has been answered, as he’s expected to sign a two-year deal with the Titans. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the deal is worth up to $32 million with incentives.
It’s a good move for a team that had a real need in the passing game, and it should make Hopkins a valuable asset in fantasy leagues -- albeit maybe not an “elite” asset.
Of course, Titans fans might be skeptical after the signings of other “older” wideouts in the past, like Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and most recently Julio Jones. Hopkins still has plenty left in the tank entering his age-30 season, though, as he showed a year ago, averaging nearly 17 points in nine games for the Cardinals.
Hopkins will enter this year as the unquestioned alpha receiver for the Titans, as the team had Treylon Burks and not much else at wide receiver. That doesn’t mean Nuk will remain an elite fantasy wideout though. To the contrary, I see him as more of a No. 2 option in an offense that ranked fifth from last in pass percentage in 2022.
I have him ranked behind the likes of DeVonta Smith, Keenan Allen and DK Metcalf but ahead of Marquise Brown, Terry McLaurin, Tyler Lockett and Christian Kirk.
As for Burks, he’ll now be hard pressed to have a true breakout fantasy season as the second option in a run-based offense under new offensive leader Tim Kelly. In fact, he should now be seen as more of a No. 4 fantasy wide receiver in drafts.
Speaking of Kelly, he’s well aware of Hopkins’s skill set from their time together in Houston and will no doubt try to get him the football as often as possible. He now has one of the top runner-receiver duos in the NFL in Derrick Henry and Hopkins, and Kelly would be wise to get them opportunities in an offense that otherwise lacks talent.
The move is also a good one for Ryan Tannehill, who dealt with injuries and a lack of talent in the passing game last season. He’s still a No. 2 fantasy quarterback, but Tannehill now could push for more statistical success with Hopkins in the offense.
