Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins is expected to play tonight against the Packers despite being questionable with a hamstring injury all week. Can fantasy football managers trust Hopkins on Thursday Night Football? Or is there a higher-than-normal risk that he could be used as a decoy or re-injured?
DeAndre Hopkins’ recent injury history
Hopkins has been nicked-up throughout this season, including a rib injury that made him a game-time decision in Week 3. That turned out to be his worst performance of the season. He caught just 3 balls for 21 yards against the Jaguars. Was his muted output tied to his injury? Hard to know.
But here’s the thing: Hopkins battled injuries throughout last season, too, and he still played in all 16 games. His final tally (115 catches, 1,407 yards, and 6 TDs) kept him in near-elite company, as he finished the year as the No. 4 fantasy WR. In fact, he’s missed only one contest in eight-plus seasons. Hopkins has proven to be a set-him-and-forget-him fantasy star.
Another positive for tonight is the continued absence of Green Bay cornerback Jaire Alexander, who’s been on the injured reserve with a shoulder ailment. Alexander’s success last year against opposing teams’ No. 1 WRs is the stuff of legend.
Is Hopkins still a must-start WR on Thursday Night Football?
The biggest concern for Hopkins will be game script. If Arizona jumps out to an early lead, backed by a proficient running game and a deep receiving corps, how much will Kyler Murray need Hopkins? After all, the Packers are missing Davante Adams and Allen Lazard. Green Bay’s middling pass defense (opposing QB rating of 92.9) and lower-tiered rush defense (opposing yards per carry of 4.9) should be no match for Arizona’s aerial and ground assaults.
The best reason to bench Hopkins would be if you had three sure-fire, top-20 WRs to start this week. Or similarly, if you have two top-20 WRs and a top-16 RB. Essentially, Hopkins’ blow-up potential might not be on par with what we’ve seen in past weeks. But unless your team is stacked, he remains a must-start with strong 10+ point potential and decent 14+ point potential, regardless of his injury designation.
