DeAndre Hopkins now faces a six-game suspension in the NFL due to a PED violation, as per reports from Adam Schefter of ESPN. 

This news comes on the heels of Cardinals making a move where the Phoneix based club get WR Marquise Brown in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens.

Hopkins spent the last two seasons with the Arizona side gaining 1,979 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns over 26 games. However, 2021 saw him battling a hamstring injury that left the three-time All-Pro wide receiver off the ground before a torn MCL brought an end to his season in Week 14. 

Now with him out of the picture, the Cardinals turn to Brown seeking production to fill the void in the wide receivers room. They also have veteran AJ Green and Rondale Moore, the second-year wideout in the squad. 

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Veteran tight end Zach Ertz, who Arizona Cardinals acquired last season in a trade with The Philadelphia Eagles, has also had a good run, enjoying a production averaging over five receptions and 52 receiving yards every game. 

While the player is out in real life, Hopkins’ suspension will affect his fantasy football value as well. This especially holds true for the redraft leagues where the player will take up space on the rosters of managers for the six games to the start of the season. 

Hopkins’ long-term future in the team might also be in some trouble. While the 29-year-old has a contract through 2024, the Cardinals would stand to save money if they broke it and cut the player from the team, as per Spotrac, a player contract resource. 

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Irrespective of Hopkins’ fate, this break with the Cardinals will see Brown emerge as the winner since he’d earlier explained his exit from Ravens in a podcast, saying it was partly due to dissatisfaction over how much he was used in the team’s offence.