National Football League

DeAndre Hopkins amazes, Kyler Murray struggles: NFC West Stock Watch

Updated Nov. 2, 2022 4:53 p.m. ET

Two weeks back on the job, DeAndre Hopkins' impact on offense for the Arizona Cardinals has been significant and immediate.

During the six weeks of the talented receiver's suspension at the start of the year, the Cardinals averaged just 19 points per game, posting a 2-4 record.

Since his return, the Cardinals are averaging 34 points a game, won handily at home against the New Orleans Saints and pushed one of the best teams in the NFL to the final possession in a road loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week.

In two starts, Hopkins has totaled 22 receptions for 262 yards and a score — the NFL leader in both of those categories over the past two weeks.

One play in particular encapsulates his ability to impact a game. Late in the second quarter on third-and-2 from the Minnesota 6-yard line, Kyler Murray found Hopkins in the middle of the field on a double move against safety Harrison Smith. Hopkins used an outstretched arm to make a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone over Smith, cutting Minnesota's advantage to 14-10.

For the game, Hopkins totaled 12 catches for 159 yards on 13 targets.

What's striking is how he made a difficult catch look easy. Asked later about the play, Hopkins appeared unimpressed.

"We lost the game, so that catch don't matter," he told reporters in the locker room.

Hopkins now has back-to-back 100-yard receiving days. He didn't have a 100-yard receiving day in all of 2021.

"Any time the ball goes into the air, you expect him to catch it," Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "That's what he brings to this team. It's a different level of confidence for this offense when he's out there."

Hopkins' highlight-reel play leads this week's NFC West Stock Watch.

RISING

Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins: The Clemson product reached 800 career receptions in his 138th game, becoming the fifth-fastest in league history to accomplish that feat. The only players to do it faster are Antonio Brown (126), Julio Jones (127), Marvin Harrison (131) and Andre Johnson (137).

One thing the Cardinals are doing to shake Hopkins loose this season is to move him around more. Per Next Gen Stats, Hopkins has twice as many targets after shift or motion through two games this season (6) as he had all last year (3).

Seattle Seahawks OT Abe Lucas: A third-round selection this year out of Washington State, Lucas is one of the reasons the Seahawks have been solid in pass protection and productive running the football.

Per Pro Football Focus, Lucas allowed just one pressure on 41 pass-block snaps in Seattle's 27-13 victory at home over the New York Giants. Lucas has allowed three sacks on 305 pass-block snaps this season. Seattle's solid play up front has led to a breakout performance by quarterback Geno Smith and rookie running back Ken Walker III making explosive plays.

San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner: The five-year pro was dominant in his team's road victory over the Los Angeles Rams last week. Warner finished with a game-high 12 tackles and a sack in the win. On the season, Warner leads the 49ers with 67 combined tackles. San Francisco's defense is holding opposing teams to a league-low 86.6 rushing yards per game.

FALLING

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray: The Cardinals have been plagued all season by inefficient offense, botched snaps and even timeouts wasted because the clock is winding down. Kingsbury said the team is working to resolve these issues, including huddling more and having Murray wear a wristband for the playcalls.

"Guys are working hard, playing hard, but when you continue in critical situations to make mistakes — coaches and players — it's just tough to overcome," Kingsbury said.

Murray completed 70.5% of his passes for 326 yards last week, but he also had a season-high two interceptions and was sacked twice on the final drive with a chance to tie the game. The Cardinals need more consistent play from their high-dollar franchise quarterback, and Murray and Kingsbury need to do a better job of being on the same page.

Cardinals WR Greg Dortch: The Wake Forest product has been a pleasant surprise for Arizona's receiver group, which is depleted due to injuries. Dortch has 24 receptions for 221 receiving yards and two scores.

However, his muffed punt in the fourth quarter that the Vikings recovered deep in Arizona territory led to a Minnesota touchdown and directly impacted the game. Dortch is usually sure-handed (only one fumble on the season) but has to do a better job of taking care of the football in critical situations.

Rams TE Tyler Higbee: For a team looking for more consistent playmakers, Higbee has been solid for the Rams, posting 36 receptions for 312 yards. But with his team trailing the Niners 24-14 early in the fourth quarter on Sunday, Higbee dropped a throw from Matthew Stafford on a shallow cross that would have been a big play — perhaps even a touchdown.

Higbee's drop was a microcosm of how 2022 is going offensively for the defending Super Bowl champs. According to Pro Football Focus, Higbee has four drops on the year.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.