MLB Best Bets – Free (Wednesday 5/15)
Josh Gross
One of the dominoes have finally fallen.
DeAndre Hopkins is signing with the Tennessee Titans, per multiple reports. The deal is for two years at $26 million with incentives.
The Titans now have a big-time weapon at the wide receiver position for quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Tennessee has long been known for its ground game led by Derrick Henry. But in order to keep up with some elite offenses in the AFC, general manager Ran Carthon nabbed the 31-year-old wideout to bolster the team’s passing attack.
Hopkins remained productive last season for the Arizona Cardinals after returning from a suspension to play in nine games – catching 64 passes for 717 yards (79.7 yards per game) and three touchdowns. He finished 10th in fantasy points per game in PPR leagues and should presumably lead the Titans in targets in 2023.
Fantasy Takeaways
The landing spot isn’t the most favorable one for Hopkins. This is still a run-first team with Henry coming off a 1,500+ yard season on the ground. Then there’s 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks, who had 33 receptions for 444 yards and a TD in six starts last season. However, Hopkins’ presence and experience for veteran QB Tannehill should keep him in the WR2 conversation. Burks’ target share will take a hit, as will Chigoziem Okonkwo’s – a popular breakout tight end target.
Perhaps the Titans will sling the rock a bit more with Henry set to turn 30 years old at the end of the season. We’ve seen some cracks in Henry’s armor over the last few years, but he should still be among the top RBs off the board in drafts. A monumental shift in offensive philosophy is unlikely. A slight downgrade to Henry, and a more substantial downgrade for Burks/Okonkwo is warranted. Tannehill remains a QB2 in superflex leagues.
