#MCM- DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans
-Hoover26 October 12
Let me kick off this week’s edition of #MCM by saying I love DeAndre Hopkins. I will scream it from the rooftops. DeAndre has somehow managed to put up astonishing numbers despite playing for a team with shuffling quarterbacks and no other actual receiving threat. That's truly amazing if you ask me. For more on those numbers, let us continue.
DeAndre Hopkins (or “Nuk”) is this week’s #MCM for a number of reasons. Reason number one being the fact that he looks like his hands are covered in Stickum out there. He has dropped only nine passes in his three year NFL career, despite being one of the most targeted receivers; DeAndre currently leads the league this season with over fourteen targets per game
(football-players.pointafter.com). Keep in mind that those targets have come from Case Keenum, Matt Schaub, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer--not the most accurate bunch in the world. Regardless, DeAndre has a career drop percentage of just over three percent. In comparison, Falcons star Julio Jones has a career drop percentage of just over four percent (sportingcharts.com). In other words, Nuk’s hands are more than solid.
Another reason for DeAndre being our #MCM is the fact that his performance seems to have come as a surprise to some fantasy experts. I heard people say that Hopkins was going to underachieve in week one, and he caught two TD passes. I heard people say that his stock was down coming into this season, yet he is third in fantasy points for wide receivers (per NFL.com scoring). DeAndre seems to defy the critics at every turn. The fact that he is second in the league in receiving yards per game contradicts the belief that being the lone star in an offense is bad for production. That theory has been taken as true for years because it makes sense on the surface. If you are playing the Seahawks, who do you think is going to have more catches: the guy being doubled by Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas III, or the guy being covered one on one by Cary Williams? Of course you are going to say the latter.
If a team has only one real receiving threat, the defense should be able to sell out on him and make his job extremely difficult. However, while being flanked by such players as Cecil Shorts, Nate Washington (both of whom are currently injured), and Keith Mumphrey, DeAndre has managed to produce at an elite level. This can only mean that DeAndre has the skill to beat the best in the business week in and week out. Just imagine if he had a bonafide 1,000 yard receiver next to him and a steady quarterback throwing to him? We could be talking about a top five fantasy pick, and this scenario could happen as early as this season. If Shorts and Washington are full strength, and rookie Jaelen Strong can take a larger role in the offense, then Hopkins could finally have some viable receivers around him. And if Brian Hoyer can build upon his performance against the Colts, Hopkins could finally have a steady, if unspectacular quarterback to feed him the ball. Keep an eye on my man DeAndre Hopkins, he is pure fantasy gold!
DeAndre Hopkins (or “Nuk”) is this week’s #MCM for a number of reasons. Reason number one being the fact that he looks like his hands are covered in Stickum out there. He has dropped only nine passes in his three year NFL career, despite being one of the most targeted receivers; DeAndre currently leads the league this season with over fourteen targets per game
(football-players.pointafter.com). Keep in mind that those targets have come from Case Keenum, Matt Schaub, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer--not the most accurate bunch in the world. Regardless, DeAndre has a career drop percentage of just over three percent. In comparison, Falcons star Julio Jones has a career drop percentage of just over four percent (sportingcharts.com). In other words, Nuk’s hands are more than solid.
Another reason for DeAndre being our #MCM is the fact that his performance seems to have come as a surprise to some fantasy experts. I heard people say that Hopkins was going to underachieve in week one, and he caught two TD passes. I heard people say that his stock was down coming into this season, yet he is third in fantasy points for wide receivers (per NFL.com scoring). DeAndre seems to defy the critics at every turn. The fact that he is second in the league in receiving yards per game contradicts the belief that being the lone star in an offense is bad for production. That theory has been taken as true for years because it makes sense on the surface. If you are playing the Seahawks, who do you think is going to have more catches: the guy being doubled by Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas III, or the guy being covered one on one by Cary Williams? Of course you are going to say the latter.
If a team has only one real receiving threat, the defense should be able to sell out on him and make his job extremely difficult. However, while being flanked by such players as Cecil Shorts, Nate Washington (both of whom are currently injured), and Keith Mumphrey, DeAndre has managed to produce at an elite level. This can only mean that DeAndre has the skill to beat the best in the business week in and week out. Just imagine if he had a bonafide 1,000 yard receiver next to him and a steady quarterback throwing to him? We could be talking about a top five fantasy pick, and this scenario could happen as early as this season. If Shorts and Washington are full strength, and rookie Jaelen Strong can take a larger role in the offense, then Hopkins could finally have some viable receivers around him. And if Brian Hoyer can build upon his performance against the Colts, Hopkins could finally have a steady, if unspectacular quarterback to feed him the ball. Keep an eye on my man DeAndre Hopkins, he is pure fantasy gold!