Dustin Hopkins

Dustin Hopkins

34-Year-Old KickerK
Cleveland Browns
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Known for his short-range accuracy more so than leg strength, Hopkins spent six and a half seasons with the Commanders and then parts of two seasons with the Chargers before landing in Cleveland last year for what ended up being his best effort yet. Having made just 15 of 30 attempts from 50-plus yards prior to 2023, he surprisingly went 8 of 8 from long distance last season and 33 of 36 on all field-goal attempts. Hopkins attempted just 26 PATs, making 24, yet finished 11th among kickers in fantasy points (and second in points per game - 9.3). A hamstring injury cost him the final two games of the regular season plus a playoff loss to Houston, and there's now some question about his future with the team, strange as that may seem. The Browns can free up $3.54 million in cap space if Hopkins is traded/released, and they're carrying two other kickers -- Cade York and Lucas Havrisik -- on the offseason roster. That said, Hopkins' 85.8 percent career FG rate and 2023 success should allow him to find another job if things don't work out in Cleveland. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#251.85
ADP
#Subscriber-Only
Kicker
$Signed a three-year, $15.9 million contract with the Browns in July of 2024.
Makes both kicks in win
KCleveland Browns
November 22, 2024
Hopkins converted his lone field-goal attempt and extra-point kick in Thursday's 24-19 win over Pittsburgh in Week 12.
ANALYSIS
Both of Hopkins' chances came in the first half, before the weather conditions turned the stadium into shaken snow globe. The Browns went for two points after their two fourth-quarter touchdowns, one due to the conditions and the other was also a logical decision based on the score. The Browns' sputtering offense under Deshaun Watson earlier this season was not conducive to kicker scoring, but Hopkins' shaky season continued even as the offense improved in recent weeks with Jameis Winston under center. Hopkins ranks 27th in scoring among kickers with 56 points through 11 games played.
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Dustin Hopkins See More
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Hopkins was outperformed by his injury replacement, Cameron Dicker, last year with the Chargers, and then found himself unable to unseat the newcomer this summer. The Chargers eventually traded Hopkins to Cleveland, where he'll replace disappointing 2022 fourth-round pick Cade York. While he doesn't offer the range of many other modern kickers, Hopkins has always been at least average converting shorter kicks and PATs.
Hopkins was released by Washington midseason last year, but he landed in Los Angeles and brought a temporary end to the Chargers' kicking woes. While he made just one of three attempts from 50-plus yards with LAC, Hopkins was otherwise automatic and generally has been consistent from 30-49 yards in his career, which should be good enough for fantasy relevance given the talent his new team has on offense.
Hopkins fell shy of an 80 percent FG rate for the first time last year, going 13 of 17 from 40-49 yards and two of four from 50-plus. He's hit only 13 kicks from 50-plus yards in six seasons as Washington's kicker, making up for it with solid work on shorter field goals and kickoffs. Fantasy utility partially depends on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick giving Washington a real offense to complement the top-5 defense.
Accurate but not powerful, Hopkins has converted more than 80 percent of FGAs in each of his five seasons despite going 11 of 21 from 50-plus yards. There hasn't been any indication he'll face job competition in the final year of his contract, but there is also not much reason to believe the Washington offense will provide steady volume. Any upside for Hopkins requires major growth from QB Dwayne Haskins.
Reliable on short kicks and capable of hitting long ones, Hopkins is no worse than league-average and perhaps even a bit better. The issue is opportunity, as the Redskins have minimal talent at wide receiver while heading for a three-way competition at quarterback. Even the best-case scenario doesn't involve a prolific offense; Washington likely will rely on its running game and defense.
After missing eight games with a hip injury last year, Hopkins will look to pick up where he left off in 2016, when he was third among kickers in fantasy points. He's been reliable on short field goals and decent on PATs, but has made just five of 13 attempts from 50 yards and out. While Alex Smith should keep the Washington offense respectable, he's unlikely to elevate Hopkins beyond bye-week replacement status.
Hopkins led the league in field-goal attempts last season, but his 81.0 percent success rate ranked 21st. Nevertheless, he still ranked third at the position, as only three others made more field goals, and his 36 made PATs were good enough to keep him competitive. If Hopkins can come close to matching the 89.3 percent field-goal accuracy from his 2015 campaign, and if the Redskins provide him with plenty of attempts again, he could compete for the title of top-scoring kicker this season.
Hopkins is coming off a solid rookie season, which coincided with the Redskins' improvements on offense that saw them finish 10th in overall scoring and 13th in kicker scoring after failing to crack the top 20 in either category in the prior two seasons. Hopkins' 40 PAT attempt tied him for eighth in the league, though his 28 field-goal attempts tied him for 17th. Washington added a few key pieces to help the offense be even better in 2016, and if it does improve, Hopkins figures to benefit just as much, even if he just maintains his ninth-ranked field-goal accuracy. He may not be an elite option, but he's certainly serviceable in most formats.
Hopkins and Zach Hocker will compete in training camp. Neither has NFL experience, but one will have a big opportunity this season with the Saints, who released last year's kicker, Shayne Graham (23rd in scoring). The Saints have had one of the better offenses in the NFL the last few years, but that cost Graham some field goals last season as he ranked sixth in PATs and 28th in field-goal attempts. The Saints made some major changes in the offseason, trading tight end Jimmy Graham and wide receiver Kenny Stills. Quarterback Drew Brees is still under center, but if the Saints aren't as good in the red zone (60 percent TD efficiency last year), they could offer their kicker more field-goal opportunities.
He appears to be healthy now after an injury-filled rookie campaign. However, Hopkins was released by the Bills in August of 2014.
A sixth-round selection out of Florida State, Hopkins will compete with incumbent Ryan Lindell for the Bills� kicking duties in training camp. The rookie connected on 5-of-6 field goals from 50-plus in his senior season and boasts a stronger leg than Lindell, who was rarely trusted from long range (1-for-2 last two seasons) by the previous coaching staff. While Hopkins will have to deal with the transition to cold weather, his growth potential may be enough for the rebuilding Bills to give him the job. Whoever wins the gig likely won't put up elite point totals given the team's murky quarterback situation.
More Fantasy News
Bad day at office
KCleveland Browns
November 17, 2024
Hopkins missed both field-goal attempts and did not attempt an extra-point kick following the Browns' two touchdowns in Sunday's 35-14 loss to the Saints in Week 11.
ANALYSIS
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Minimal role in loss
KCleveland Browns
November 4, 2024
Hopkins made one of two field-goal attempts and his lone extra-point kick in Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Chargers in Week 9.
ANALYSIS
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Perfect in win
KCleveland Browns
October 27, 2024
Hopkins converted all three field-goal attempts and both extra-point kicks in Sunday's 29-24 win over Baltimore in Week 8.
ANALYSIS
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Shut out in Week 7 loss
KCleveland Browns
October 20, 2024
Hopkins missed his lone field-goal attempt and only extra-point kick in Sunday's 21-14 loss to Cincinnati in Week 7.
ANALYSIS
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Contributes 10 points in loss
KCleveland Browns
October 14, 2024
Hopkins converted three of four field-goal attempts and his lone extra-point kick in Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Eagles.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Inks extension
KCleveland Browns
July 17, 2024
Hopkins signed a three-year extension Monday, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Hopkins spent time with the Commanders and Chargers between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, appearing in 22 out of a possible 34 regular-season games during that span and posting a solid 88.6 percent success rate on field-goal attempts. The veteran then settled in after being traded from the Chargers to the Browns just before the start of last season, making a career-best 91.7 percent of his field-goal tries, including a career-long 58-yard field goal. The impressive efficiency earned the veteran kicker a three-year, $15.9 million extension, giving him a substantial raise over the $2.88 million he was slated to earn in 2024 under his prior deal.
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