Who Should I Start? DeAndre Hopkins or Rashee Rice

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, April 23, 10:56 PM

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes confirmed that wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) is healthy and has been taking part in the team's voluntary offseason workouts. "The expectations are high," Mahomes said of Rice. "I mean, he looks really good. He's running routes. He's catching the football. I don't know when we get back into the actual OTAs, how much he'll be able to do, but he's been able to do everything here, as far as running routes and everything like that." It's great news for the 25-year-old, who suffered a season-ending LCL tear in Week 4 against the Chargers last year. The Chiefs will likely be cautious with Rice when OTAs begin, but barring a setback, he's fully expected to be ready for training camp and the start of the 2025 regular season this fall. In addition to coming off a major knee injury, Rice could be facing discipline from the league for an off-the-field incident. But all that aside, he has clear WR1 upside.