As we gear up to the start of the NFL season, Football Absurdity is going to bring you a comprehensive breakdown of every notable player that will be available in fantasy football drafts. When you don’t see us talking about Christine Michael or Mike Davis, don’t get mad at us for neglecting your favorite sleeper. Get mad at yourself for having bad taste in football players. We are only focusing on the top-rated players in standard scoring and points per game leagues.
With my player profiles, I’ve only decided to go back to look at their fantasy scoring for three years. I could show you lists from earlier, but most of the guys at the top are no longer in the league anymore. I’ve also added a chart for their usage over that time span. We will try to determine, based on those two factors, where the best wide receiver value lies.
DeAndre Hopkins ADP and AAV
Standard: 1st among WRs, 7th overall
PPR: 1st among WRs, 5th overall
DeAndre Hopkins Average Auction Value (AAV) $200 Budget: $57
Stats:
FANTASY SCORING — STANDARD
| Rank | Total Points | PPG Rank | PPG | |
| 2018 | 4th | 218.5 | 4th | 13.7 |
| 2017 | 1st | 213.8 | 2nd | 14.3 |
| 2016 | 35 | 119.4 | 35 | 7.5 |
FANTASY SCORING — PPR
| Rank | Total Points | PPG Rank | PPG | |
| 2018 | 1st | 333.5 | 3rd | 20.8 |
| 2017 | 2nd | 309.8 | 2nd | 20.7 |
| 2016 | 26 | 197.4 | 26 | 12.3 |
FANTASY USAGE
| Receptions | Receptions Per Game | Targets | Targets Per Game | |
| 2018 | 115 | 7.2 | 163 | 10.1 |
| 2017 | 96 | 6.4 | 174 | 11.6 |
| 2016 | 78 | 4.9 | 151 | 10.0 |
Overview: Hopkins entered the discussion for #1 overall WR as soon as he got a decent QB in 2017. With two straight top-5 finishes, he is back in the discussion again in 2019.
Strategy: Our DeAndre Hopkins Auction Value ($200 Budget): $56
If the top 4 RBs have all gone in your league, we definitely would consider Hopkins. Our pick is Davante Adams, but we’re not going to snub our nose at anyone who goes Hopkins, instead. His durability exceeds that of Adams: Hopkins missed only one game in the past 5 seasons, compared to Adams who missed 6 in that same span. That’s not a huge difference, really, we’re just playing devil’s advocate by stating any small points that ding Adams over Hopkins. The truth is, if you want a high floor and high ceiling, Hopkins is a great choice in the middle of round 1.
Naturally, that means you’re going to really have to decide if you love Hopkins in auction. He could go for his mid-$50s AAV, but all it takes is one other player to love him and he’ll go closer to $60. So before you get in a bidding war over Hopkins, decide which of the first-round receivers you love most (Hopkins, Adams, Tyreek Hill, Julio Jones, Michael Thomas) and just spend the extra $ to get that exact guy.
Best Case Scenario: Adams remains a top 3 WR.
Worst Case Scenario: The other Texans WRs actually stay healthy, crowding the receiving corps. Hopkins’ volume decreases and he finishes as a low-end WR1
