No Rashee Rice and Holly Brown for the remainder of the season? No problem: help is on the way as the Kansas City Chiefs bring a veteran wideout into the AFC West.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs haven’t had a clear-cut top wideout since Week 4, but that hasn’t stopped Kansas City from posting a 6-0 record. It never hurts to add one, however; that’s why general manager Brett Veach opted to trade for DeAndre Hopkins when the opportunity presented itself.
Veach sent a conditional fifth-rounder, with the potential to become a fourth, over to Tennessee for the veteran receiver.
Hopkins, a member of the Tennessee Titans for the last year and a half, posted 173 yards and a touchdown on 15 catches this season. He was part of the 32nd-ranked offense via yardage per week (145.8).
Although Hopkins’ numbers have taken quite a dip this season, he re-joined the 1k-yard club in 2023 after being absent since 2020. Last year, in his first season with the Titans, the 32-year-old hauled in 75 passes for 1,057 yards and seven scores.
That was with then-rookie Will Levis; not two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes.
Pass-catchers always seem to bounce back to form with Mahomes throwing them the football, because Mahomes makes their lives easier. Take JuJu Smith-Schuster, for example.
After totaling 1,426 receiving yards during his sophomore campaign, Smith-Schuster went the next three seasons unable to reach 900. However, once he teamed up with Mahomes in 2022, JuJu got back into the 900-club with 933 yards. His 102.5 quarterback rating when targeted was the second-highest of his career, behind his career-high of 108.7 this season reunited with Mahomes.
It would come as no surprise to see Hopkins have a similar turnaround now paired up with the reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champion.
Will DeAndre Hopkins, the newest AFC West wideout, take the field immediately for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Although that question doesn’t yet have an answer, NFL insider Josina Anderson spoke with Roddy White and Darren Smith on the subject. Here, Anderson asked their thoughts on the topic.
“In this situation, being 6-0, I would slow-roll him in,” White responded. “I wouldn’t play him for like two weeks.”
Smith, on the other hand, concluded as Hopkins is already familiar with the needed route tree, there shouldn’t be any discussions about him potentially not playing on Sunday.
“When [Hopkins] is in the huddle, Mahomes is going to tell him the play, going to tell him what route number to run, and that’s what he’s going to do,” Smith added.
Anderson suggested Hopkins doesn’t need to start as the Chiefs are smooth-sailing at 6-0, but perhaps allowing a few opportunities as the game progresses would be beneficial for his transition.
While there isn’t a need for Hopkins to play on Sunday, the Chiefs will be looking for revenge against the last team to take them down. That may be the reason Hopkins sees the field this weekend.
*Top Photo: Harry How/ Getty Images