Who Should I Start? DeAndre Hopkins or Emeka Egbuka

Thursday, July 24, 4:04 PM

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (undisclosed) did not practice on Thursday after landing uncomfortably on a catch attempt on Wednesday, according to team reporter Jonas Shaffer. However, head coach John Harbaugh said the reason for his absence was an "abundance of caution," so this should not be viewed as a serious situation. Hopkins, who has 178 career games played on his resume, is likely to be in and out of practice throughout training camp and during the regular season. The team will opt to be smart with the 33-year-old in an attempt to keep him fresh and healthy through a 17-game season and the NFL playoffs. The five-time Pro Bowler appears to still have some ability left in the tank, but it would be a surprise if he's a consistent fantasy producer in a run-heavy offense led by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. He will likely be behind at least Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews in the target pecking order.

Thursday, June 26, 6:52 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is expected to have a big role in the offense in his first year in the NFL, especially with Chris Godwin recovering from ankle surgery, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. Egbuka is already helping the Bucs stretch the field horizontally and has looked like a running back at times while showing up in the short passing game. However, the 22-year-old from Ohio State has also made big plays down the field during offseason practices. "The thing that sticks out is how cerebral he is," quarterback Baker Mayfield said. "He's so smart. Right now, I think we could plug-and-play him at every [wide] receiver spot; he understands the offense that well. That's just him being a pro already." Egbuka is extremely attractive in dynasty/keeper leagues, but his redraft fantasy value in 2025 could depend on whether injuries in front of him open up more opportunities.