Can DeAndre Hopkins replace Andre Johnson?
By Hayden Winks
Nov 2, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) catches a touchdown pass during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
THE BREAKOUT SEASON??
Andre Johnson was reportedly told he would have a reduced role and no longer be the center of the offense in a meeting with Texans executives. Of course Andre was blown away by this proposal and immediately asked for his release. Andre wanted to end his career in Houston but was unable to do so. Even worse, Johnson will be playing Houston twice a year as he stayed in the AFC South.
The meeting between Andre Johnson and Texans officials is more of a vow of confidence in DeAndre Hopkins than an insult to Andre. DeAndre had proven he can be a number one wide receiver in his second year as a pro and the coaches didn’t find it necessary to keep feeding an aging pro 150 targets.
With Andre Johnson’s 146 targets now up for grabs, DeAndre Hopkins is assured to get a handful more touches in 2015. In Andre Johnson’s prime, he would finish with 160-180 targets, but DeAndre Hopkins is a slightly different player with a different skill set. Either way, it seems safe to assume that Nuk will receive at least 140 targets this year. Here is a look at what his totals would be with more targets based from last years averages:
| TARGETS | REC | YARDS | TDS | |
| 2014 | 127 | 76 | 1210 | 6 |
| 140 TARGET PACE | 140 | 84 | 1334 | 6.61 |
| 150 TARGET PACE | 150 | 90 | 1429 | 7.09 |
| 160 TARGET PACE | 160 | 96 | 1524 | 7.56 |
| 170 TARGET PACE | 170 | 102 | 1620 | 8.03 |
| 180 TARGET PACE | 180 | 108 | 1715 | 8.50 |
Hopkins will most likely flirt with 145-165 targets for the next few years if he continues to play full seasons because he doesn’t need 165+ targets to produce big numbers. These values above are superstar numbers with an arrow pointing straight up. His touchdown rate can move up as well with the help from his quarterback but this is all speculation. I am very excited to see DeAndre Hopkins make that jump into the elite NFL class.
2015 PROJECTIONS
Safe 2015 Projection: 80/1275/7
Reasonable 2015 Projection: 90/1400/8
Full Breakout Projection: 97/1500/10
Be sure to leave comments on your projections for the DeAndre Hopkins and feel free to ask questions @2Winkz on twitter.