Ravens' Lamar Jackson Wants Bigger Role for Veteran WR

For a player as accomplished as Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to be considered underrated or described as an unsung hero is extremely rare, but that has been the case this year for him in his first year with the Charm City franchise.

While the 13-year veteran ranks third on the team in receiving yards and is tied for second in receiving touchdowns, that isn't saying much. Third-year Pro Bowl wideout Zay Flowers is the only pass catcher on the team with more than 300 receiving yards, and Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews is the only one with more than two scoring receptions.

Hopkins is on pace for the least productive season of his illustrious career with just 13 catches on 23 targets for 219 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. However, his impact on this year's team has been immense and goes beyond box score counting stats.

"That's why he is going to be a Hall of Famer," quarterback Lamar Jackson said. "That's why he's a Hall of Fame-caliber receiver. The way he handles his business; he's not loud [about or] complaining that he's not getting targets. And when his number called, he's making plays for us. Hopefully his number gets called a lot more, because he definitely has big-play abilities, at all times, really."

Baltimore’s Plan for Hopkins

Oct 5, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Deandre Hopkins (10) runs for a gain during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

When the Ravens signed him during the initial wave of free agency, it wasn't to come and be their No. 1 or even No. 2, as those roles were already filled by Flowers and fellow homegrown stud and former first-rounder, Rashod Bateman, both of whom had breakout campaigns in 2024. They envisioned him providing veteran leadership and continuing to be one of the best contested catch specialists to ever play the game.

Despite averaging just over two targets a game, Hopkins delivered on that vision as he has come up with at least one clutch catch in four of the Ravens' five wins, including their fourth straight this past week when his 11-yard receptions on third-and-12 set up the perfect scenario to unleash the 'Hurricane' play that won them the game on fourth-and-1. It was his lone reception of the game, but he made it count, as he continues to be a reliable playmaker, even though his production isn't prolific.

"Hop is definitely a guy that you want to try to isolate and get him the ball because he is going to catch it," head coach John Harbaugh said. "He is going to come up with it. That slant was a heck of a catch, and [it was] huge – like you said – a huge, huge play in the game. I told him that. He wants more and more, and he wants that because that's who he is."

Unlike most established wideouts who clearly have some left in the tank, Hopkins has embraced his limited role in terms of involvement and has just made the most of his opportunities when they've come his way. Among pass catchers with double-digit targets and receptions, he leads the team with 16.8 yards per catch and has picked up a first down on nearly 70% of his snags, which has Jackson wanting to get him more involved as he is averaging less than 20 offensive snaps per game (19.9).

VINTAGE DEANDRE HOPKINS.

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The two of them are still working to improve their connection on the field since the two-time league MVP returned to action in Week 9 after missing three games. He knows that even if he's a little off-target, there's still a good chance that Hopkins can reel in just about any target that comes his way because of his wide catch radius and propensity for making impressive snags, whether someone is draped all over him or not.

"I feel like anytime the ball is in his area — [his] perimeter — he'll catch that ball," Jackson said.

Young Speedster's Workload Set to Increase Even More

Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell runs the ball during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns in Week 11 — Nov 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (34) runs for a gain during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Hopkins isn't the Ravens' only underutilized skill position player on offense who is deserving of a larger role moving forward. Third-year running back Keaton Mitchell has been getting more involved since the team returned from their Week 7 bye after only appearing in two games and getting four touches through the first six games, including being a healthy scratch for the first four games.

"We'd like for Keaton to be involved," Monken said. "As I said at the beginning of the year, you guys were around me is we have a good problem. We have a lot of good skill players. Derrick [Henry] is deserving of touches, Keaton is [deserving of touches], Justice, our wide receivers, our tight ends, and we need to continue to keep Keaton involved. He's shown that — how to be a valuable asset and be explosive for us as a great change up to Derrick."

Mitchell has recorded four plays of 10-plus scrimmage yards during the Ravens' four-game win streak, including a pair of 20-plus-yard rushes. He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, 8.8 yards per catch and is bringing juice as a kick returner as well. He is a threat to rip off a chunk play anytime he touches the ball and is bound to reach the end zone for the first time this season and first since Week 10 of his rookie year after making the team as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

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