Fantasy Upside
After racking up 550 yards and three touchdowns on 53 catches in just 10 games as a rookie, Brandin Cooks cracked the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his sophomore campaign after turning 129 targets into 84 receptions, 1,138 yards and nine touchdowns. Despite starting the year slowly, Cooks finished as fantasy’s WR12 and gained 13.5 yards per catch after Sean Payton started to unleash him as a vertical threat in the Saints offense. With Drew Brees showing no signs of slowing down, Cooks has plenty of upside heading into his third season.
Fantasy Downside
The Saints signed tight end Coby Fleener and drafted former Ohio State receiver Michael Thomas in the second round. With those additions, it’s difficult to envision Cooks seeing another 129 targets in the Saints offense. With fewer opportunities in the passing game, will Cooks at least match what he achieved a year ago? He’s too talented and too explosive to become a forgotten man in New Orleans, but the additions of Fleener and Thomas should at least give fantasy owner’s pause when considering investing a mid-third round pick in Cooks this year.
2016 Bottom Line
Cooks probably won’t post WR1 numbers, especially with Fleener, Thomas and Willie Snead commanding looks in the Saints offense. Plus, Payton likes to throw to his running backs, so Cooks might not come near the 129 targets he saw a year ago. That said, Cooks is a legitimate WR2 with upside and could be an excellent complement to fantasy owners who find a bona fide WR1 in one of the first two rounds. Just be prepared to draft Cooks early in the third, because his current ADP in 10-team leagues is 3.07 (and 3.03 in 12-teamers).
Week 17 at Atlanta
Brandin Cooks caught 5-of-7 targets for 123 yards and a touchdown while also adding four rushes for 10 additional yards in the Saints' Week 16 win over the Jaguars. Fantasy owners knew Cooks was in store for a big day when he caught a 71-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. The 100-yard day was Cooks' third in four games. The Falcons rank No. 2 versus fantasy receivers this season but Cooks nevertheless is a WR1 for Week 17. He ranks as our WR8 and is a solid play in standard and DFS leagues this Sunday.
Week 16 vs. Jacksonville
Brandin Cooks caught 10-of-13 targets for 124 yards and a touchdown in the Saints Week 15 loss to the Lions. With Detroit jumping out to a 28-3 lead early in the third quarter, New Orleans was forced to throw to get back in the game. That benefited Cooks, who became Drew Brees' go-to receiver in the second half. The second-year wideout did most of his damage in the final two quarters, racking up 85 yards on seven catches. Ranked as our WR17 for Week 16, view Cooks as a WR2 against a Jacksonville defense that ranks 25th against fantasy receivers this season.
Week 15 vs. Detroit
Brandin Cooks caught 3-of-5 targets for just 29 yards in the Saints Week 14 win over the Bucs. The five targets were the fewest he's seen since a Week 6 win over the Falcons. With the Saints holding a lead in the second half, they turned to their running game and Cooks was only targeted once after halftime. For those fantasy owners that survived Cooks' lack of production in Week 14 and advanced in their playoffs, Cooks will be a low-end WR2 this Sunday versus the Lions. He ranks as our WR21 for Week 15.
Week 14 at Tampa Bay
Brandin Cooks caught 6-of-10 targets for 104 yards and a touchdown in the Saints Week 13 loss to the Panthers. Despite being shadowed by Josh Norman in coverage, Cooks was able to catch a 54-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Unfortunately for Cooks owners, he suffered a concussion earlier this week and missed practice on Thursday. But he cleared the league's concussion protocol and is probable for Week 14, where he ranks as our WR19. Consider him a low-end WR2 for Sunday.
Week 13 vs Carolina
Brandin Cooks caught 5-of-8 targets for 35 yards in the Saints Week 12 loss to the Texans. The yardage output was his second lowest of the season as the entire New Orleans offense was grounded by J.J. Watt and Co. Owners will want to avoid Cooks this weekend, as he and the Saints have a rough matchup versus the Panthers' outstanding defense. Cooks will certain draw plenty of Josh Norman, which will limit his production. Travis Benjamin, Doug Baldwin, Stevie Johnson and even Brandon LaFell are better options than Cooks this week.
Week 12 at Houston
Brandin Cooks caught 5-of-8 targets for 98 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints Week 10 loss to the Redskins. Both of his scores came in the first half and was only targeted four times in the second half despite New Orleans playing catch-up. At least Cooks has now managed at least 70 yards receiver or a touchdown in four straight games. He ranks as our WR17 in PPR formats for Sunday against the Texans and should be viewed as a WR2.
Week 10 at Washington
Brandin Cooks caught 4-of-6 targets for 73 yards and a touchdown in the Saints Week 9 loss to the Titans. Willie Snead led the team in targets with 10, but Cooks finished with more looks than tight end Ben Watson, who finished with five. Cooks has now secured 70-plus yards receiving in three straight games and has three touchdowns the past two weeks. Ranked as our WR18 for Week 10, view Cooks as a low-end WR2 with upside.
Week 9 vs. Tennessee
Brandin Cooks caught 6-of-8 targets for 88 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints Week 8 win over the Giants. Drew Brees threw for 511 yards and seven touchdowns, so Cooks was finally able to have one of the best games of his two-year career. While fantasy owners have mostly been disappointed with his production given his preseason expectations, at least Cooks now looks like a WR3 with upside as opposed to a WR3 with a clear ceiling. Ranked as our WR18 in standard formats this week, Cooks should be in your lineup when the Saints host the Titans on Sunday.
Week 8 vs. New York Giants
Brandin Cooks caught 6-of-13 targets for 81 yards in the Saints Week 7 win over the Colts. While the receptions and yards were the second-most of the season, Cooks continues to be merely a high-end WR3 in fantasy circles. While he's not going to burn owners with horrible weeks, he's also not going to win many games for them either. Cooks is the definition of a WR3 and should be viewed as such moving forward. He ranks as our WR29 in Week 8.
