DeAndre Hopkins has 1,001 career receptions, but he has not been targeted more than four times in any game this season.
Head Coach John Harbaugh wants Hopkins to become a larger part of the offense, as the Ravens (6-7) fight for a playoff spot with four games left in the regular season.
"This next game, and these next four games and into the playoffs, let's get him involved more," Harbaugh said. "We really need to try to do that. We have been trying to do it; we can do it. It hasn't fallen for us, but I still believe he's going to make plays for us that are going to matter."
The veteran wide receiver was targeted just once and didn't make a catch during Baltimore's 27-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Hopkins may have been the target on a key fourth-and-5 pass late in the fourth quarter that fell incomplete when Mark Andrews tipped it.
For the season, Hopkins has 17 catches for 257 yards and two touchdowns and has not caught more than two passes in any game.
Hopkins' hands are among the most dependable the NFL has ever seen, and the 33-year-old's body control and route running remain superb. He signed with the Ravens this offseason, hoping his presence would help them capture a Super Bowl. However, the offense hasn't been as productive this season and the Ravens are below .500 through 13 games.
"I don't think [Hopkins] came over here for us to be in this situation," Lamar Jackson said after Sunday's game.
Baltimore has been blessed with many offensive weapons, and Hopkins hasn't been asked to carry a heavy workload. He's still made clutch catches that have led to wins, like a diving grab he made for 11 yards in the fourth quarter in Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns. That turned a second-and-12 into a third-and-1, putting the Ravens in position for the subsequent game-winning “Hurricane” touchdown run by Andrews.
Hopkins also had a spectacular one-handed touchdown grab in Buffalo in Week 1, and another highlight-reel deep touchdown catch against the Browns in Week 2.
However, Hopkins has played more than 40% of the offensive snaps in just two games and his 16.3% (13 snaps) against Pittsburgh marked a season low. But since the beginning of training camp, Harbaugh has been impressed by Hopkins' work ethic and professionalism.
"If you go back and watch the game, you're going to see him playing his tail off," Harbaugh said. "He's running routes. He's fighting to get open, he's blocking, he's competing. He's doing everything he can and that's what I admire about him, love about him. He's become one of my favorite players, ever. We're going to be friends for a long time."
Hopkins said recently that he learned how to be a pro from Hall of Fame wide receiver Andre Johnson, who was Hopkins' teammate with the Houston Texans early in his career.
"Andre always said, 'Don't be like these guys who don't get the ball and start acting out,'" Hopkins said. "He told me I didn't want to be labeled like that. I always take pride in, no matter what happens, that I go out and do my job."
Harbaugh wants Hopkins' skillset to pay more dividends for Baltimore down the stretch, and that could result in him seeing more playing time.
"Sometimes it's just the way the game goes a little bit," Harbaugh said. "I don't think he's at the stage of his career where he's going to play every play. We've talked a lot about this, trying to be intentional about him being out there for specific purposes to do the things that he does well."
