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Houston Texans rookie wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins had 18 receptions (on 26 targets) for 243 yards and a touchdown over the first three games this season, but he has just four catches for 50 yards over the last two games as quarterback Matt Schaub’s dismal performance has continued.
Texans’ head coach Gary Kubiak is sticking with Schaub for Week 6 against the St. Louis Rams, due to lack of better options as much as anything. Tight end Owen Daniels (leg) is now out until at least Week 14 and wide receiver Andre Johnson also dealt with a series of nagging injuries already this seaon, the latest being a hamstring issue that kept him out of practice on Wednesday. So Hopkins could see an uptick in opportunities on Sunday, but is he a viable starting option for fantasy football owners?
St. Louis enters Week 6 allowing the sixth-most fantasy points (26.6 per game, ESPN scoring) to opposing wide receivers, including multiple touchdowns in three games and over 200 receiving yards to the position in three of five games as well. Top cornerback Cortland Finnegan (thigh) was inactive for last week’s game and looks likely to at least be limited again this week, but even if he is active his level of play has not been up to his previous standard so far this season.
Hopkins has the makings of a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3 in 12 and 14-team leagues this week, and if Johnson happens to be inactive he would be in line for even more targets from Schaub in a favorable matchup. Just don’t expect to be able to add Hopkins and plug him into your lineup, assuming his ownership percentage in Yahoo! leagues (62 percent) is a reflection of how widely he is owned elsewhere.
Brad Berreman is a contributing writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradberreman24.
