DeAndre Hopkins was saying the other day that he thinks he and Deshaun Watson might develop into the league’s best quarterback-receiver combo, and why not? Watson looked pretty great in his limited run as a rookie, and Hopkins has clearly established himself as one of the top handful of receivers in the league.
And not only is Hopkins really good, he commands the ball. Everything seems to run through him. He’s seen a league-high 517 targets the last three years, and that’s been while usually working with quarterbacks far inferior to Watson.
Hopkins accounted for 38 percent of Houston’s receiving production last year, and that was despite sitting out the final game with an injury. Over the last 10 years, only nine players have accounted for a bigger slice of their team’s receiving production.
| WIDE RECEIVERS WITH A THIRD OF TEAM'S YARDS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Ind | Team | Pct |
| 2012 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 1,508 | 3,298 | 45.7% |
| 2008 | Steve Smith, Car. | 1,421 | 3,288 | 43.2% |
| 2015 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 1,871 | 4,602 | 40.7% |
| 2008 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 1,331 | 3,299 | 40.3% |
| 2008 | Roddy White, Atl. | 1,382 | 3,440 | 40.2% |
| 2012 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 1,598 | 4,046 | 39.5% |
| 2013 | Vincent Jackson, T.B. | 1,224 | 3,181 | 38.5% |
| 2012 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 1,964 | 5,139 | 38.2% |
| 2015 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 1,834 | 4,822 | 38.0% |
| 2017 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 1,378 | 3,644 | 37.8% |
| 2013 | Josh Gordon, Clev. | 1,646 | 4,372 | 37.6% |
| 2010 | Roddy White, Atl. | 1,389 | 3,725 | 37.3% |
| 2015 | • DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 1,521 | 4,079 | 37.3% |
| 2013 | Anquan Boldin, S.F. | 1,179 | 3,210 | 36.7% |
| 2010 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 1,162 | 3,189 | 36.4% |
| 2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 1,502 | 4,170 | 36.0% |
| 2011 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 1,411 | 3,954 | 35.7% |
| 2012 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 1,350 | 3,807 | 35.5% |
| 2011 | Brandon Marshall, Mia. | 1,214 | 3,425 | 35.4% |
| 2011 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 1,159 | 3,288 | 35.2% |
| 2008 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 1,575 | 4,474 | 35.2% |
| 2014 | • DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 1,210 | 3,460 | 35.0% |
| 2010 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 1,137 | 3,264 | 34.8% |
| 2017 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 1,444 | 4,146 | 34.8% |
| 2013 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 1,499 | 4,306 | 34.8% |
| 2008 | Braylon Edwards, Clev. | 873 | 2,537 | 34.4% |
| 2014 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 1,519 | 4,447 | 34.2% |
| 2011 | Steve Smith, Car. | 1,394 | 4,089 | 34.1% |
| 2014 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 1,698 | 4,997 | 34.0% |
| 2016 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 1,367 | 4,027 | 33.9% |
| 2014 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 1,619 | 4,779 | 33.9% |
| 2017 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 1,533 | 4,534 | 33.8% |
| 2008 | T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cin. | 904 | 2,677 | 33.8% |
| 2013 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 1,407 | 4,183 | 33.6% |
| 2010 | Brandon Lloyd, Den. | 1,448 | 4,307 | 33.6% |
| 2008 | Derrick Mason, Balt. | 1,037 | 3,085 | 33.6% |
| 2014 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 1,593 | 4,758 | 33.5% |
| 2009 | Chad Ochocinco, Cin. | 1,047 | 3,134 | 33.4% |
| 2012 | Vincent Jackson, T.B. | 1,384 | 4,144 | 33.4% |
Hopkins also scores touchdowns. The Texans threw 28 touchdown passes last year, and Hopkins fell just short of catching half of them. In the last 10 years, only nine receivers have had seasons where they’ve caught a larger share of their team’s touchdown passes.
(Unfortunately with this one, there are always some teams with feeble passing games, allowing some outlier receivers to sneak in – Mike Sims-Walker, Justin Gage, Tavon Austin, Andre Roberts.)
But Hopkins, I think, is right there with any wide receiver in drafts this year.
| WIDE RECEIVERS WITH 40% OF TEAM'S TOUCHDOWNS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Ind | Team | Pct |
| 2008 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 12 | 18 | 66.7% |
| 2014 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 12 | 21 | 57.1% |
| 2011 | Brandon Lloyd, St.L. | 5 | 9 | 55.6% |
| 2010 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 15 | 27 | 55.6% |
| 2012 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 11 | 21 | 52.4% |
| 2008 | Randy Moss, N.E. | 11 | 21 | 52.4% |
| 2009 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 13 | 27 | 48.1% |
| 2009 | Brandon Marshall, Den. | 10 | 21 | 47.6% |
| 2009 | Mike Sims-Walker, Jac. | 7 | 15 | 46.7% |
| 2017 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 13 | 28 | 46.4% |
| 2009 | Randy Moss, N.E. | 13 | 28 | 46.4% |
| 2010 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 12 | 26 | 46.2% |
| 2008 | Justin Gage, Tenn. | 6 | 13 | 46.2% |
| 2015 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 5 | 11 | 45.5% |
| 2012 | Andre Roberts, Ariz. | 5 | 11 | 45.5% |
| 2010 | Mike Wallace, Pitt. | 10 | 22 | 45.5% |
| 2010 | Brandon Lloyd, Den. | 11 | 25 | 44.0% |
| 2009 | Steve Smith, Car. | 7 | 16 | 43.8% |
| 2008 | Roddy White, Atl. | 7 | 16 | 43.8% |
| 2014 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 16 | 37 | 43.2% |
| 2010 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 6 | 10 | 43.2% |
| 2011 | Pierre Garcon, Ind. | 6 | 14 | 42.9% |
| 2009 | Chad Ochocinco, Cin. | 9 | 21 | 42.9% |
| 2008 | Santana Moss, Wash. | 6 | 14 | 42.9% |
| 2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 14 | 33 | 42.4% |
| 2010 | Mike Williams, T.B. | 11 | 26 | 42.3% |
| 2009 | Roddy White, Atl. | 11 | 26 | 42.3% |
| 2009 | Miles Austin, Dall. | 11 | 26 | 42.3% |
| 2013 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 10 | 24 | 41.7% |
| 2010 | Steve Johnson, Buff. | 10 | 24 | 41.7% |
| 2009 | Donnie Avery, St.L. | 5 | 12 | 41.7% |
| 2016 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 12 | 29 | 41.4% |
| 2013 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 12 | 29 | 41.4% |
| 2012 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 12 | 29 | 41.4% |
| 2015 | Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 14 | 34 | 41.2% |
| 2009 | Lee Evans, Buff. | 7 | 17 | 41.2% |
| 2014 | Torrey Smith, Balt. | 11 | 27 | 40.7% |
| 2017 | Davante Adams, G.B. | 10 | 25 | 40.0% |
| 2015 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 14 | 35 | 40.0% |
| 2015 | Jeremy Maclin, K.C. | 8 | 20 | 40.0% |
| 2014 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 12 | 30 | 40.0% |
| 2014 | Allen Hurns, Jac. | 6 | 15 | 40.0% |
| 2011 | Eric Decker, Den. | 8 | 20 | 40.0% |
| 2009 | Louis Murphy, Oak. | 4 | 10 | 40.0% |
| 2008 | Steve Smith, Car. | 6 | 15 | 40.0% |
—Ian Allan