Planning for the Return of DeAndre Hopkins

Fantasy managers who stashed the Cardinals receiver during his six-game suspension will have some options.

Here’s all you need to know about the uncertainty and inconsistency of fantasy wide receivers in 2022: The second-leading scorer at the position in Week 5 was …

Dyami Brown.

Who? That’s right, Dyami Brown. With Commanders productive rookie Jahan Dotson inactive Sunday, fantasy managers looked to Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel to step up. Instead, it was second-year pro Brown who scored both of Washington’s touchdowns in a 21-17 loss to the Titans. Brown only caught two passes, but one went for 75 yards, and the other went for 30, both for scores. Only Buffalo’s Gave Davis (3-171-2) had a better fantasy output among receivers in Week 5.

The usual suspects did show up, as always. Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson and Stefon Diggs were the top seven fantasy receivers in Week 5. On the season, there are no big surprises among the top 15 scorers at the position. But there are only a handful of must-starts. Patriots wideout Jakobi Meyers was the WR6 in Week 5 (7-111-1), but you’re certainly not going to count on that every week.

There are probably six teams that don’t have a viable starting fantasy receiver: Patriots, Titans, Giants, Packers (!), Bears and Panthers (yup, time to give up on D.J. Moore).

On top of that, injuries to the likes of Keenan Allen and Amon-Ra St. Brown have weakened receiver depth. Fantasy managers have been waiting impatiently for Buccaneers veteran Chris Godwin to play his way back into form. It might finally be happening – Godwin caught six passes for 61 yards on Sunday.

Perhaps the best news for some fantasy managers needing receiver help is that one of the best pass-catchers in the NFL makes his 2022 debut in two weeks. Raise your hand if your roster has been limited because you stashed away Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who has been riding a six-game suspension to start the season due to a PED violation.

Hopkins has been back working out at the team facility and meeting with coaches. He’ll be back in action in Week 7 when Arizona hosts the Saints on Thursday night. Hopkins, a five-time Pro Bowler, took to social media this weekend to tease his return:

The 30-year-old is not a lock to make an immediate impact. He missed time with an injury last season – the first time in his nine-year career he didn’t play at least 15 games – and that resulted in his least productive season. But in 2020, his first season with the Cardinals, he had 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six TDs.

When Hopkins is back on the field, it will be the first time Cardinals QB Kyler Murray has two big-time wide receivers. His old college teammate Marquise Brown is currently the league’s WR6.

So what do you need to think about with the return of Hopkins 10 days away? Here are a few considerations:

• If Hopkins is going to get his share of targets, it might be time to sell high on Marquise Brown.

• If you’ve stashed Hopkins on your roster and believe he will be productive, then consider which of your active receivers might be good trade bait.

• If you’re happy with your active receivers, identify teams in your league that are thin at the position and dangle Hopkins out there.

• It’s hard to say “buy low” on Kyler Murray since he is currently the QB4, but it’s worth seeing what you can get him for, since the return of Hopkins will only boost his production.