DeAndre Hopkins Defends Zay Flowers in Ravens' WR1 Debate

Ever since free agency's slowed down to close out March, NFL teams have been left to ruminate on the roster holes that they've yet to fill. For the Baltimore Ravens, wide receiver depth remains a concern, as they're now forced to locate a pass-catching core for Lamar Jackson using the dregs of the open market and the upcoming draft.

Even if the front offices manages to find the right assortment of veterans and prospect to pad the quarterback's list of options, much of Baltimore's fan base remains convinced that the corps' one known quantity is capable of spearheading the unit.

Zay Flowers is coming off of a career-high 1,211-yard receiving season and a second-straight Pro Bowl appearance, seventh-most around the league and second among all AFC receivers. Yet you wouldn't know it by how he's described by outsiders and just how ugly his lowlights look; he fumbled away and dropped huge opportunities at several crucial points last season, repeatedly costing the Ravens about as often as he uplifted their chances at winning.

DeAndre Hopkins checked into the online debate to stick up for his fellow wideout. Despite the free agent not technically being rostered as a Raven, he looked to share his experience beside the young athlete in disputing how he thrives within his role.

The media's idea of wr1 is misconstrued. Target share, volume & being 1st in mind for designed plays is wr1. Zay deserves that. He's one of the best playmakers. Winning 1-on-1, he's one of the best. His best ball is still ahead of him. https://t.co/ISsdXcafcR
— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) March 20, 2026

"The media's idea of wr1 is misconstrued," he posted on X. "Target share, volume & being 1st in mind for designed plays is wr1. Zay deserves that. He's one of the best playmakers. Winning 1-on-1, he's one of the best. His best ball is still ahead of him."

And Hopkins isn't wrong; of all of the knock that the public have with Flowers' game, no one can take away his athleticism. Granted, he doesn't always use his powers for good, regularly attempting to create a big play out of nowhere by scrambling east to west to no avail, but his speed and quick twitch have rightfully earned him a place as one of Jackson's top play-makers for three straight years.

Hopkins' Unique Perspective

As someone who's still awaiting a contract for his next stop, the 33-year-old Hopkins has nothing to gain from defending Flowers aside from his own frustrations pertaining to how lead receivers are viewed.

He knows a top option when he sees one, having notched five Pro Bowl invites of his own by catching over 1,000 balls and reaching 13,295 yards of own over 13 professional seasons. Hopkins was never the tiny speedster that Flowers was, but he evidently enjoyed flexing his reliable hands over his 17 most recent games spent as a tertiary Raven.

Baltimore Ravens Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins — Oct 26, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) looks on before the game against the Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Flowers can drive fans crazy with his inability to stay out of danger. The Ravens' receiver isn't as physically imposing as other positional studs like Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Puca Nacua, but he's shown the ability to make big plays regardless of who's throwing him the ball or where he's getting it. He's still very much deserving of a marquee role in a Baltimore positional unit that needs all the unpredictability it can get, even if he remains a long ways away from the general idea of a leading scorer on a contender.

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