5 Stars Who Could Flop in the Fantasy Football Playoffs

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

After a truly miserable 2016 season with Brock Osweiler under center, Houston Texans star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins experienced a rebirth with rookie Deshaun Watson taking over. He is currently the leading receiver in total fantasy points regardless of scoring format.

He’s been outstanding, and even Tom Savage hasn’t been able to crush Hopkins' fantasy value following the season-ending knee injury to Watson. But can Nuk sustain this success when it matters most?

Hopkins faces an easy Week 14 matchup against the 25th-ranked pass D of the 49ers, but then things take a significant turn for the worse. In Week 15, he squares off against Jalen Ramsey and the Jags' top-ranked pass defense before facing a Week 16 date with a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that is ranked 10th in the league. Of course, with Joe Haden out for the season, the Steelers certainly could look different by that point.

While Hopkins did score a touchdown in his Week 1 matchup against the Jaguars, it’s worth noting that this was after Watson had replaced an ineffective Savage with the team trailing 19-0 late in the third quarter. Beyond that, he caught 7 of an absurd 16 targets for just 55 yards. Hopkins was incredibly inefficient, yet managed to save his value with a red zone touchdown.

To this point in the season, Hopkins’ dominance has driven many fantasy teams to the top of their leagues. If that production dries up starting in Week 15, it presents an obstacle for those who have come to rely on his outstanding production. He is going to be tough to trust down the stretch, especially with Savage under center.