Brandin Cooks

Week 2 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Despite battling a sore quad leading up to the opener last Thursday, Brandin Cooks was able to play on just over half of the offensive snaps. In the loss to the Chiefs, he was targeted five times but finished with only two grabs for 20 yards. Will Fuller will likely be Deshaun Watson’s top option, with Cooks getting more attention as the season continues. In the home opener versus the Ravens, Cooks should be used as at best a WR3/flex start.

Fantasy Upside
As NFL.com reported, the Texans landed Brandin Cooks in a trade with Los Angeles as part of their effort to cover for the loss of DeAndre Hopkins (who left in a trade with Arizona). It's the fourth team for Cooks and it will be the fourth time he's been traded in his career. Cooks was drafted with a first-round pick by the Saints in 2014, traded for a first-round pick to the Patriots in 2017 and traded to the Rams for a first-round pick in 2018. Now, in Houston, Cooks will play in a system similar to the one he played in while with the Patriots. Cooks posted 42 catches for 583 yards and two scores in 2019 -- largely the least productive season of his six-year career. Still, he should be a solid addition to a Texans team that looks to have a well-rounded offense.

Fantasy Downside
Cooks has a history of concussions, something that's worth noting. Also worth reiterating, this is Cooks' fourth team and it seems that he's more popular before arrival than after.

2020 Bottom Line
Trading away Hopkins -- one of the game's elite -- will likely always be a head-scratcher, but now Deshaun Watson has wideouts Cooks, Will Fuller, Randall Cobb and Kenny Stills along with TE Darren Fells and RBs David Johnson and Duke Johnson. Beyond the uncertainty that comes with another change of offenses, However, don't be surprised if the draft price falls low enough to be of interest to bargain-hunting fantasy managers looking for value with upside.

Week 16 at San Francisco 49ers
Brandin Cooks' usage bounced back from a season-low 39% snap share in Week 14 to a 71% snap share in Week 15. Cooks was also targeted eight times last week, his highest total since Week 3, and while his four receptions for 46 yards were an improvement over his recent fantasy output, it's still far from useful for fantasy purposes.

Cooks now faces a 49ers defense allowing the ninth-lowest aFPA to wide receivers, while the Rams have recently prioritized targets to Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and tight end Tyler Higbee. The Rams defense is generating the fourth-most pressure in the league, which likely limits the time Jared Goff would need to connect with the deeper, longer-developing routes that are Cooks' specialty. I can't think of a scenario where starting Cooks this week is a good idea.