DeAndre Hopkins to the Titans

DeAndre Hopkins is still a free agent just a week out from training camps. The reports for weeks have been DeAndre Hopkins will go to the Titans or Patriots. The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills have also reportedly shown interest. But neither has the money available to make a competitive offer. They would need Hopkins to leave a lot of money on the table in favor of chasing a ring. Up until this point there has been little information about which team DeAndre Hopkins would go to. But now it looks like Draft Kings has insight that DeAndre Hopkins is going to the Titans.

So does Draft Kings know something about DeAndre Hopkins that we don't? It sure seems that way, and it makes sense. Tennessee is in dyer need of a #1 receiver. Their top-3 receivers on the depth chart are Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Kyle Phillips. DeAndre Hopkins shows up in the Titans locker room and immediately becomes the best pass catching option on the team. I'm sure he doesn't love the idea of either Ryan Tannehill or Will Levis throwing him the ball this season. But there a question marks with the Patriots too. Although it makes sense, Mac Jones was not good in 2022. And while some think that was due to Matt Patricia, Mac is ultimately responsible for his play. There's also the history between new OC in New England Bill O'Brien and D-Hop. Bill traded Hopkins from Houston to Arizona while they were both with the Texans. Any lingering bad feelings are reportedly over, but I think it's worth noting.

DeAndre Hopkins needs to have a big 2023 if he wants to get another big payday in the NFL. He is coming off 2 seasons where he failed to play a full season. In 2021 he served a 6-game PED suspension and last year played in 9 due to injury. He is 31 years old with back-to-back underwhelming seasons. Does DeAndre Hopkins make the Titans a legitimate contender to win the AFC South? Does it move the Titans into the Wild Card picture in the conference? We'll have to wait and see if he signs with the Titans, but DeAndre Hopkins needs a big 2023.

Entering the last 2 NFL seasons, I have released the top 10 wide receivers entering the season. This year I decided to expand on that list and give the top 16 wide receivers entering 2023. This is not just a list of the top 16 receiving yard leaders from the year before. Although that is taken into consideration.

Some receivers have less than ideal situations either with their quarterback, offensive scheme, or are coming off a season with injury. The point is: there are many factor when looking at the top 16 wide receivers entering 2023. There are only three guys who have been on the list every year that I've done it. Those players are Justin Jefferson, Davante Adams, and Tyreek Hill. And this year there is a new top receiver in the game. Davante Adams had been #1 entering 2021 and 2022.

Tyreek Hill, AJ Brown, Davante Adams, and Amari Cooper were all traded last year. This year the wide receiver market was much quieter. DJ Moore is the only guy who would be considered on this list who is with a new team in 2023. Last year's rookie class was headlined by Ohio State products Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who were the only rookies to eclipse the 1,000 yard receiving mark. There were some other solid rookie performances from Drake London, George Pickens, and Christian Watson. I would have liked to see what Watson's rookie year would have looked like if he didn't drop a for sure touchdown in week 1. But none of those names are on the list. Here are the top 16 wide receivers entering 2023.

Mike Williams is the #1 pass catching option in one of the most prolific offenses in the league. Williams has been hampered with injuries- he has only played a full season once, and that was back in 2018. And he has only surpassed 1,000 yards twice- and in 2019 it was 1,001 yards. There is so much potential there, and we've seen it in glimpses.

I do not know why DK does not have better numbers. He has played with Russell Wilson and the best version of Geno Smith anyone has ever seen, yet he has only eclipsed 1,000 yards twice in his four years. Physically I don't know if you could draw up a better looking wide receiver. His combination of size, speed, and athleticism is unmatched in a position group full of athletic freaks. But DK needs to impose his will a little bit more to take that next step.

Tee Higgins will be a #1 option in a offense if he wants to be in his career. He has put up over 1,000 yards in each of the two seasons he's played with a healthy Joe Burrow. All while being the #2 option in the passing attack. There is a reason the Bengals have a legitimate argument for having the best receiver combo in the league. It's because Higgins is really good.

Smith has been exactly what he was advertised to be coming out of Alabama. He is an elite route runner with enough speed to create separation and some of the best hand in the country. He did come up 84 shy of 1,000 yards in his rookie season. But last year the Eagles passing attack took a huge leap forward and Smith had almost 1,200 yards, 95 receptions, and 7 touchdowns. Like the Bengals, the Eagles are in the conversation for best duo in the league.

This was the biggest wide receiver move of the offseason. I don't think the stats tell the complete story with DJ Moore. He has been playing with Sam Darnod, PJ Walker, Baker Mayfield, Teddy Bridgewater, Will Grier, Kyle Allen, and Taylor Heinicke since he's come in the league. Yet he has still managed to eclipse 1,000 yards in 3 of his last 4 seasons. I am really excited to see what Moore can do with Justin Fields, who against all odds is probable the best quarterback Moore has played with.

This one hurt. I have been a huge fan of Mike Evans since he was the main weapon for Jonny Manziel at Texas A&M. Evans is one of the most difficult matchups in the league with his combination of size and ability to make catches over defenders. But it just feels like there are more big play dropped passes from Evans than any other big time receiver in the league. Now with that said Mike has put up over 1,000 yards in every season that he has been in the league. Maybe it's the 6 touchdowns from last year, but I expect more from Mike Evans.

I think Waddle is well on his way to becoming a top-10 receiver in the league. Last season Waddle was 7th in the league with 1,356 yards, led the league with 18.1 yards per reception, and added 8 touchdowns. All while being the #2 pass catching option in a season where the starting quarterback was out for 3.5 games. Whenever Tyreek Hill loses a step (doesn't look to be any time soon) Waddle is basically the same player who can fill the void.

2022 was a disaster for pretty much everyone on the Rams- Kupp included. He was done after just 9 games last year and averaged 90.2 yards per game and had 6 touchdowns. I dropped him down to 10 just because 2022 was so bad. But let's remind you of his 2021 where he led the league in receptions (142), yards (1,947), and touchdowns (16). When healthy he is one of the best receivers in the league.

This is the surprise name on the list for this year. But he has been one of the best pass catchers in the league in his first 2 seasons. He has a 76.5% catch rate on targeted throws- that is among the best of any receiver. Let alone a #1 option on a pretty explosive offense. In 2022 St. Brown had 106 receptions for 1,161 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

CeeDee Lamb has been exactly what the Cowboys hoped for when they drafted him in 2020. He has increased his receptions, yards, and touchdowns every season he has been in the league. Last year he finally eclipsed the 100 reception mark with 107, and was 6th in the league with 1,359 receiving yards. He has planted his flag down as a top 10 receiver in the league, and I think he's talented enough to be top 5.

Diggs has been dominant since arriving in Buffalo having eclipsed 1,200 yards , 100 receptions, and 8 touchdowns in every season with the Bills. He says that he is upset with not getting the ball... He's never had lass than 150 targets with Josh Allen as his quarterback. His 2020 season was his best in terms of targets, receptions, and yards. But last year he logged a career high 11 touchdowns. It's not just a product of Josh Allen either. Diggs has put up over 1,000 years for 5 consecutive seasons.

Chase's 2022 stats don't jump off the page because he was out for 5 games due to injury. But he still managed to have 1,046 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. Ja'Marr is a touchdown waiting to happen with 24 touchdowns through his first 2 regular seasons. And remember- he missed 5 games last year. Burrow to Chase is becoming one of the deadliest duos in the league, and if they keep beating the Bills when they play, then they will be the best QB to WR duo.

I knew Brown in Philly would make their passing attack better heading into 2022... but I did not expect what we saw last season from the birds. AJ Brown showed up and took Jalen Hurts' game to the next level. Last year Brown had 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns. I would like to see his 88 receptions increase, but that is really getting nit picky. Brown is a slightly smaller version of DK Metcalf with better hands and production.

I honestly think you can take the top 3 names, write them down, and draw them out of a hat and make a good case for whatever order you draw. I dropped Adams down to #3 just because of the surrounding circumstances in Las Vegas. But make no mistake, Davante Adams is in the conversation for best receiver in the league. Last year with Derek Carr throwing him the ball Adam reeled in 100 receptions totaling 1,516 yards, and 14 touchdowns (the most among receivers).

I guess the questions we had about Tyreek getting the ball without Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball got answered. Hill was 1 of 2 players to average over 100 yards per game. He was second in the league in yards and receptions. He turned a Miami Dolphins offense that had not finished in the top 10 in decades and turned them into one of the best units in the sport. Tyreek is fast, but there is so much more to his game than speed.

Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the game going into the 2023 season. Last year he let the league in targets, receptions, and yards. And let's all remember the catch from the photo above. He came down with that and helped his team go into Buffalo and beat the Bills when most thought of them as the best team in the league. What's scary is he is only getting started entering year 4.