Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins suffered an undisclosed leg injury in practice Thursday that could sideline him for at least 4-6 weeks. This means he could miss the team’s season opener against the Bears on Sept. 8.
Hopkins is still expected to lead a revamped Titans receiving corps, but may not practice again before the season begins.
theScore and ESPN reported Hopkins wearing a wrap on his left leg at practice. ESPN also reported he left practice early with director of sports medicine Todd Toriscelli.
At best, the four-week timeframe makes Hopkins eligible to practice again at the end of August. But if he’s out six weeks, he’d take a seat for Tennessee’s season-opener against Chicago. Furthermore, with no diagnosis as of Thursday night, the four to six weeks is only a guesstimate.
Let’s examine the fantasy football impact of DeAndre Hopkins’ injury and how it could impact Will Levis and the improved receiver corp.
WHAT DO THE TITANS LOOK LIKE WITHOUT HOPKINS?
They look a lot better than they would have had this happened last offseason.
The Titans went from Hopkins, Treylon Burks, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine last season to adding Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd as starters during the offseason.
Ridley was the No. 1 for Jacksonville last season in his first season back from suspension for gambling. He’s the most likely to compete with Hopkins for the No. 1.
As for Boyd, he was third-fiddle in the passing game in Cincinnati. While he could be third in Tennessee, he rejoins offensive coordinator Brian Callahan — who had his back with the Bengals.
While Hopkins’ catch rate was only approximately 54% last season, he did eclipse 1,000 yards during his first season in Tennessee. It marks his seventh 1,000-yard season out of 11 go’s, and he built a quick rapport with Will Levis, one of our favorite late-round upside quarterbacks.
Replacing that type of production is challenging, but Ridley—who also had more than 1,000 yards last season—steps into the spotlight. Should Ridley shine long-term, it may also cause a wide receiver controversy. But, will he be able to prove it long-term if Hopkins truly does miss only one week?
TREYLON BURKS STEPS INTO THE STARTING ROLE
ESPN reports Burks immediately inserts as Hopkins’ replacement. However, that’s solely because he is slated behind him on the depth chart.
In terms of fantasy, Burks should not have value in Week 1—or this season—without at least one of the trio missing significant time.
As the No. 2 receiver last season, he finished with 16 catches (30 targets) in 11 games with no touchdowns.
However, it is important to note that Burks was taking snaps with the starters while Hopkins remained limited at Thursday’s practice.
SO, WHAT’S THE FANTASY FOOTBALL IMPACT?
Hopkins is expected to return around Week 1, but he may miss the season opener.
If you’re in keeper or dynasty leagues, you likely have replacement options. If you’re in redraft, you likely haven’t drafted yet. If everything goes to plan, one game missed should be the maximum until test results return for Hopkins’ knee.
What is concerning is Hopkins’ right knee injury history. Since 2021, he’s torn his right MCL, had a knee strain in 2022, and just suffered another knee strain. According to Draft Sharks Injury Guide, he has a 73.7% chance of injury in 2024.
The Wolf slides DeAndre Hopkins in at WR36 (+2 vs ECR) on his 2024 Fantasy Football Rankings and was one of his favorite underpriced stacks in best ball alongside Will Levis.
