Who Should I Start? DeAndre Hopkins or Adam Thielen

Tuesday, March 11, 7:18 PM

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and the Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms on a one-year $5 million deal worth up to $6 million guaranteed. Despite the increased production from fourth-year wideout Rashod Bateman a season ago, Baltimore sought to bolster their wide receiver corps -- bringing a veteran presence into the locker room. Hopkins spent most of 2024 with Kansas City after a mid-season trade with the Tennessee Titans and racked up a 41-catch 437-yard line in ten games with four touchdowns. The 32-year-old is not the presence he once was on the outside, but he gives superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson another set of reliable hands. While Hopkins may still have some juice, he'll be competing with fellow wideout Zay Flowers and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely for targets on a team that ranked second-to-last in pass attempts per game in 2024 (27.5).

Wednesday, March 12, 10:40 PM

Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen will officially return for a 12th NFL season in 2025 after agreeing to a a revised contract with the Carolina Panthers, sources tell ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Thielen will now look to add to his 8,311 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career. The 34-year-old veteran wideout briefly contemplated retirement after the 2024 season but isn't quite ready to hang up his cleats after catching 48 passes for 615 yards and five touchdowns in a career-low 10 starts last year. A hamstring injury cost him seven games, but he still managed to lead the team in receiving yards and touchdowns. Thielen had a strong 103-1,014-4 line in 17 starts in 2023 in his first year in Carolina and has developed a strong chemistry with young quarterback Bryce Young. He's definitely an injury risk in fantasy, but when healthy, he should have a decent target floor as a WR4/flex in weekly fantasy lineups.