Team news: Dallas Cowboys | Page 80

WR Brandin Cooks' NFL debut was just as impressive on tape. His best catch was his first, when he went up in the air to snag a 32-yard pass, even though he was about to get drilled by cornerback Desmond Trufant. And as expected, the Saints used Cooks in a variety of ways. He had the end-around run; he caught a screen pass when he was lined up in the backfield; he caught a receiver screen behind two tight ends; he went in motion on the interception play; he scored a touchdown on a pick play when he was lined up the farthest left in a trips formation; he also lined up in the middle of the trips formation and on the solo side at times.

Cooks was used early and often in Week 1 and that should continue, though the dynamic may change a bit when Kenny Stills returns from a quad injury.

Saints QB Drew Brees said it’s evident the kind of difference-maker WR Brandin Cooks can be.

“He’s impressive,” Brees said. “He can do a lot of things. He’s a very smart player. He’s intense, when he’s out there, it’s business. He can do a lot of things for us.

“We’re really excited about him as we go along here, continuing to build packages around him and give him opportunities. Brandin can do some things. He’s explosive.”

Likewise, Cooks sees where there will be myriad opportunities for him to thrive in the Saints' offense. He was one of four players Sunday with at least five receptions and 58 receiving yards.

Although it was probably best to wait-and-see how Cooks was used before putting him in lineups, it's safe to say he'll be inserted starting Week 2. There will likely be up and down weeks for Cooks, however, as there are just too many targets in the Saints lineup. Kenny Stills was out of the lineup which certainly helped Cooks' targets and playing time. He was second among WRs in snaps behind Marques Colston.

Bills WR Sammy Watkins didn’t have a major impact on the game Sunday, but did play a role with three receptions for 31 yards in the overtime win. The Bills top draft choice admitted he was a bit limited by his sore ribs.

“I felt like I shot off pretty well. Coach called a great game; they managed the game. I was kind of held back from the ribs injury, but still overcame and had two or three big catches that moved the drive and played well.”

Watkins actually played 54 snaps, which was 95 percent of the total on offense (57) in the game. No other receiver, tight end or running back logged more snaps than Watkins. Robert Woods came closest with 52 snaps for 92 percent of the offensive play total.

It's good news Watkins was able to play a majority of snaps but he's clearly not 100-percent. His performance was out-shined by rookies like Brandin Cooks and Kelvin Benjamin in terms of fantasy production.

As for the Buffalo RBs, C.J. Spiller played on 30 snaps while Fred Jackson saw 26 snaps. Spiller ended up with 15 carries to Jackson's seven. Both caught three passes but one of Spiller's went for a TD.

The following are snap counts for the Saints RBs and WRs for Week 1 vs. Atlanta:
Running back: Pierre Thomas 34, Mark Ingram 20, Travaris Cadet 12, Khiry Robinson 12
Receiver: Marques Colston 64, Brandin Cooks 52, Joe Morgan 49, Robert Meachem 19

A couple of notes here: Thomas led all backs with 34. So much for being the Saints RB3. It looks like Thomas will have a big role with the offense but so will Ingram. Ingram had 14 touches while Thomas had 13, six of which were receptions. Robinson also had a TD in the game on six rushes. The other note is rookie WR Brandon Cooks who had 7 catches for 77 yards and a TD and even rushed one for 18 yards. Morgan played on 49 snaps but didn't record a catch.

Maybe the best thing about Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin is he doesn't know how good he is.

He called Sunday's 26-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter of a 20-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers "just another catch to me," and it was anything but.

Or maybe Benjamin does know how good he is. Asked what message his six-catch, 92-yard, one touchdown debut sent to the rest of the NFL, he smiled and said, "Tampa Bay fans are probably saying they should have drafted me."

While taking a wait-and-see approach with rookies like Benjamin and the Saints Brandin Cooks is painful to watch as they put up points on your bench, Mike Evans and Sammy Watkins didn't finish with impressive fantasy numbers which shows how unpredictable rookies can be. Going forward, Benjamin owners can feel a little better about using him in lineups, especially in WR3 or flex positions.

Saints TE Jimmy Graham wasn't the same player when covered by a cornerback last season. Teams zeroed in on Graham without fear of retribution from the Saints' other pass catchers.

Rookie WR Brandin Cooks, who the Saints traded up to acquire in May's draft, should help alleviate that burden with his mere presence. His speed could lend more opportunities for Graham.

He's the type of weapon the Saints have lacked at receiver since HC Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees came together in 2006. He's an every-down wideout who's lightning fast, has great hands, can play inside and on the flank, and runs every route with precision.

"I feel good," Cooks said. "It's football. I just come out here and have fun and do what I do best and just (try to) be a playmaker, learn from older guys, and stick around guys like Drew. I feel like I'll be alright doing that."

The article also points out that the Saints running game could help put Graham in more favorable matchups as well. But in the end, the Saints are again expected to put up a ton of points even if team's try to take away Graham.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks missed his second straight practice with an illness and fever on Tuesday, prompting coaches to keep him inside.

This season, Saints WR Kenny Stills will team with first-round draft pick Brandin Cooks to give the Saints elite speed at receiver. Their ability to stretch defenses, coupled with Marques Colston and Robert Meachem's knack for finding openings in schemes, should help tight end Jimmy Graham better operate around the field.

Now that he's back, Stills is back to improving on his rookie season where his speed helped him catch 32 passes for 641 yards and five touchdowns.

Stills returns from a quad injury but missed out on team building at The Greenbrier in West Virginia and missed out on getting in better shape. Even missed offensive snaps with QB Drew Brees. Stills and Cooks were close on our WR list at one opint, but now Cooks shot up to 34th while Stills is 44th. Just about anyone in the Saints offense can have value but the downfall is there could be some boom and bust weeks with both Cooks and Stills.