DeAndre Hopkins could have a bigger role in the Super Bowl. (USA Today)
Reports suggest that the Saints had a bigger role than anticipated in helping the New Orleans Archdiocese with its sex abuse scandal; Chip Kelly is coming back to the NFL, this time as the new Raiders OC; and the NFC continued its dominance of the NFL’s flag football game that masquerades as the Pro Bowl.
The DeAndre Hopkins Factor
There’s no way to sugar coat how much wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins regressed this season. In his first six games with the Titans, he only pulled in 15 receptions with a YPR of 11.5 and one lone touchdown. After getting dealt from Tennessee to the Kansas City Chiefs, he was only slightly better (41 receptions and four touchdowns in 10 games, but his YPR dipped even further), even if he’s still capable of making a big play from time to time (see video below).
In the playoffs, Hopkins has really disappeared, pulling in just one catch on three targets over his two games, yet oddsmakers think he’s going to gain more traction in the Super Bowl.
Having said that, perhaps the biggest factor he’s had as a Chief is in opening up Patrick Mahomes’ game.
The Chief QB has gone over 251.5 yards passing in just half of his games this year, but has topped that total in 7 of the 12 in which Hopkins has played.
So perhaps both Hopkins and Mahomes offer some prop bet value in the Super Bowl. Hey, if nothing else, three-time Pro Bowler Hopkins is finally playing for the big prize.
You may recall that when Hopkins was drafted he was compared to four-time Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White, but he’s definitely surpassed him from a Fantasy perspective, even if he wound up being released as recently as 2023. As for the Super Bowl, Hopkins barely makes the top five at WR for this game, but it’s the fashionista‘s chance to put the crowning achievement on what’s been a very good career that is now in decline.
Kareem Hunt’s Unlikely Resurgence
Among the more interesting sub stories of Super Bowl week is the resurgence of Kareem Hunt. A free agent to begin the season, he hadn’t played in an NFL game or even practiced with a team for eight months before the Chiefs came calling because they had just lost Isiah Pacheco to a serious injury. It was an interaction that began when Hunt, after watching Pacheco go down, texted coach Andy Reid to let him know he was ready to help.
By the time Hunt took the field on September 29, he was true to his word, rushing for 69 yards on 14 carries while adding 16 yards in the air. The following week, he went off for over 100 yards with one TD, the first of five he would score over the next four games.
Flash forward four months and change, and Hunt is not simply playing, but excelling as the lead back for the Chiefs, a fact reflected in his odds as an anytime TD scorer for the Super Bowl (+145 as per FanDuel).
This isn’t a surprise considering he’s scored a TD in four straight games heading into the title match. All told, Hunt had his most carries since his rookie season, was more efficient on the ground than he’d been in 2023 and enjoyed his highest YPR since 2021.
Best of all, he can complete his amazing comeback with his first Super Bowl ring, having missed out on KC’s three titles since 2020. Beyond Hunt, there’s only one running back you want more on Super Bowl Sunday for Fantasy purposes, and we’re pretty damned sure we don’t need to tell you who that is.
RotoRob Tune of the Day
Born Pierino Ronald Como, he’s better known as American crooner Perry Como, who was active from 1932 to 1997, four years before his death. In 1970, he released the single “It’s Impossible,” featuring “Long Life, Lots of Happiness,” on the B-side.