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DeAndre Hopkins Contract Terms
After stints with the Titans and Chiefs last season, DeAndre Hopkins has a new home. Based on reporting from Ian Rapoport, Hopkins will sign a one-year, $6 million contract with the Ravens.
Fantasy Impact
It's fair to say DeAndre Hopkins is no longer the dominant force he once was in fantasy football. He started the 2024 season in Tennessee, playing six games with the Titans. Hopkins took a clear backseat to Calvin Ridley, registering just 15 catches, 173 yards, and one touchdown. The Titans were able to move him in an October trade with the Chiefs, netting a conditional fifth-round pick in return.
In Kansas City, Hopkins was never able to establish himself as the top receiver despite a desperate need on the team. He started relatively hot, racking up 10 catches, 115 yards, and two touchdowns in his first two games. Those numbers basically matched his six-game stint with the Titans. However, over the next eight games, he would only beat 50 yards in a game twice and score just two more touchdowns. During his 10 weeks with Kansas City, Hopkins ranked as the WR33 in fantasy. If those numbers weren't uninspiring enough, Hopkins also registered just three catches, 29 yards, and one touchdown during Kansas City's playoff run.
In Baltimore, Hopkins finds himself in a similar situation to Kansas City. Instead of Xavier Worthy, Zay Flowers will be the top receiver. Instead of Travis Kelce, it will be Mark Andrews at tight end. And Hopkins will be the third option, at best, for the Ravens. Unfortunately, the passing pie gets a lot smaller, too.
Last year, Baltimore threw the ball just 477 times, 123 fewer attempts than the Chiefs, and the second-fewest in the league. Hopkins will be 33 when the season starts, and he is now playing in a run-first offense where he is not the top receiving option. He will struggle to match even the top-40 production we saw with the Chiefs last season. This signing is one of those cases where it could work out well for real football but not in fantasy.
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Fantasy Fallout
Besides Flowers and Andrews, Baltimore also saw some solid 2024 production from Rashod Bateman and Isaiah Likely. Those two, along with Hopkins, will be competing for whatever targets don't head to Andrews and Flowers. It's far from ideal for any one of them, as Bateman was targeted just 72 times last year and Likely only 58. The fifth option, Nelson Agholor, finished with just 29 targets. Essentially, Bateman, Likely, and Hopkins will be competing for roughly 160 targets, which will not equate to great fantasy production for any of them.
The one saving grace is that Likely could end up pushing Mark Andrews for more playing time. He only saw 11 fewer targets than Andrews in 2024 and is younger and more athletic. If he wins the starting tight end job, he could improve in 2025, but that's a big if. Overall, Zay Flowers and Derrick Henry are the only ones who don't take a hit based on Hopkins' addition. However, it's not all bad. More weapons for Lamar Jackson is a very good thing.
Jackson threw for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2024. Both were easily the best numbers of his career, and he finished as the top quarterback in fantasy football. Hopkins won't move the needle a ton, but anything that keeps Jackson's numbers from regressing too far is excellent for fantasy managers.
The Chiefs are unlikely to miss Hopkins much. In 10 games (five starts) with Kansas City, he caught 41 passes for 437 yards and four touchdowns. They brought back Marquise Brown and will get Rashee Rice back from injury.
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Overview
DeAndre Hopkins is set to play for his third team in two seasons. After playing for the Titans and Chiefs in 2024, Hopkins will reunite with former teammate Derrick Henry in Baltimore for the 2025 season. Hopkins signed a one-year deal with the Ravens for $6 million.
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