Fantasy News: Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes to Give DeAndre Hopkins 'More and More Chances'

Patrick Mahomes is excited to see DeAndre Hopkins' involvement within the Kansas City Chiefs' offense increase.

Mahomes complimented the five-time Pro Bowl receiver, calling him "a leader from day one" in the locker room while still praising his explosiveness on the field (via Nate Taylor of The Athletic).

"It was definitely a pleasant surprise for me," Mahomes said. "I can even give him more and more chances as [the season] goes on because it seems he's making plays every time I do."

A larger role is an encouraging sign for Chiefs fans and fantasy football managers alike, as Hopkins was targeted just five times during a 16-14 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 10.

The 32-year-old was acquired by Kansas City in an Oct. 23 trade with the Tennessee Titans. He was moved in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick that becomes a fourth-round selection if the Chiefs earn a spot in the Super Bowl and Hopkins plays 60 percent of the team's offensive snaps, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Hopkins has currently played in 52 percent of Kansas City's snaps, via Pro Football Reference. While the Chiefs may keep an eye on the conditional draft pick that they sent out, that shouldn't prevent him from carving out an increased role in the offense. In fact, his snap count percentage has increased in each appearance that he's made with the team.

He's been productive to begin his career in Kansas City, catching 14 of 17 targets for 171 yards and two touchdowns in three games.

While Hopkins hasn't earned a Pro Bowl nod since 2020, he still recorded 75 receptions for 1,057 yards and seven scores during his 2023 campaign. It's also worth noting that he did so without consistent quarterback play, as Will Levis and Ryan Tannehill split time as starting signal-callers for the Titans last season.

With Mahomes now looking Hopkins' way, he could continue to establish himself as a threat in the red zone while racking up enough yards to become a key fantasy contributor down the stretch of the regular season.

He'll look to keep building chemistry with Mahomes during a Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff is on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.