With Calvin Ridley signing for the Tennessee Titans on a surprisingly large four-year, $92 million deal, some wondered what it meant for DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins is not being linked with a trade away from the team, so the move appears to be the franchise announcing its intention to change its offensive scheme and challenge for the AFC South.
While the magnitude of this deal has been questioned by analysts all around the NFL, it feels like the Titans are moving from a run-heavy offense and looking to let Will Levis spread the ball about. Presuming nothing crazy happens between now and the start of the 2024 season, that Levis is under center and Hopkins is still on the roster, both WRs could have value in fantasy football. That said, both could be huge busts if taken too early.
Neither one of these receivers should be taken in the first few rounds in fantasy drafts, and the later you manage to leave them the better. Given that neither exactly set the league on fire last season, and that the Titans do not have a reputation for a great passing attack, you should be able to delay a decision on them until the fourth or fifth (Ridley) and the sixth or later (Hopkins).
Given the receiver talent in the league, neither of these should be taken as your WR1, and there are more reliable-looking options out there. These are likely to be WR2s or flex options, and should certainly not be taken together as a stack. The Titans need to prove they can be trusted for fantasy receivers, so taking either of these in the fourth round feels like a risk.
If you are looking to choose one over the other, the consensus should be to follow the money, as the ball likely will, and go with Calvin Ridley. That said, DeAndre Hopkins has the kind of skill set where he will age gracefully, and while Ridley’s speed attracts attention from defenses, someone of Hopkins’ talents can exploit the coverage.
Calvin Ridley & DeAndre Hopkins’ 2024 NFL fantasy outlooks: What numbers to expect from Titans WRs?
This is tricky to project, as the Tennessee Titans are a team going through a lot of transitions, and not just on the field. This is a new age in Tennessee, and with no Derrick Henry and a new HC in Brian Callahan, there are a lot of questions that can’t be answered yet.
Most analysts agree that Calvin Ridley’s arrival is bad news for DeAndre Hopkins’ 2024 fantasy value, but that might not be the case. If the Titans are going to throw the ball more, Ridley and Hopkins on the field together might work.
Realistically, with neither receiver getting any younger (Ridley 29, Hopkins 31) and the Titans being an unknown entity, it’s hard to expect improvement and similar numbers to last season feel reasonable.
Ridley recorded 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and 8 TDs with the Jacksonville Jaguars, all the while being a source of frustration for a lot of managers, mainly due to where they drafted him (mostly in the 2nd or 3rd rounds). To say Ridley blew hot and cold is an understatement, as some big weeks were punctuated by droughts.
Hopkins had a very strange season and was often lacking targets, regardless of who was under center, but still finished the campaign with 75 catches for 1,057 yards and 7 TDs. This almost needs an asterisk, however, as 128 yards and 3 TDs came in one game against the Atlanta Falcons.
As for numbers, a similar season could be in order for both receivers, with them both taking turns for big weeks. In a 17-game season, 1,000 yards is no longer a benchmark for excellence, and for receivers of this caliber 1,000 yards and 6 TDs feels about right.
Other WR NFL fantasy outlooks: Drake London, George Pickens, Diontae Johnson