The hits keep coming for Arizona.
Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been downgraded to out for Sunday's road tilt versus the Atlanta Falcons due to a knee injury that flared up at the end of this week.Â
Hopkins popped up on the injury report on Friday as a DNP, and with the Cards already eliminated from playoff contention, he's now slated to miss his seventh game of the 2022 season.
Hopkins missed Arizona's first six games of the year due to a suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. The team went 2-4 in his absence.Â
The three-time All-Pro excelled in his return and leads the team with 64 catches for 717 yards even after the missed time. He's scored three receiving touchdowns, trailing only Zach Ertz (four), who has missed five games and is out for the year with a knee injury of his own.
The overall losses and the losses to injuries have been a theme for the 4-11 Cardinals throughout a disappointing encore to last year's first playoff appearance since 2015.
Arizona dropped seven of nine games after Hopkins re-entered the lineup, and a decimated roster is now set to use its fourth starting quarterback in four games to take on Atlanta.
Franchise QB Kyler Murray suffered a torn ACL in Week 14, and trusty backup Colt McCoy is still experiencing symptoms from a concussion sustained in Week 15.Â
After Trace McSorley disappointed with a 53.3 completion percentage and three turnovers in his Week 16 start, David Blough, an addition from the Vikings practice squad on Dec. 14, has received the nod with the unenviable task of not having Hopkins available as a target.
It remains to be seen if Hopkins returns next week, or if the Cardinals practice extra caution given so little left to play for.
The Cardinals and Falcons kick off on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
