Week 9: Cooks vs. Panthers
Brandin Cooks caught six passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in the Saints' Week 8 win over the Packers. Patient fantasy owners were rewarded last week as Cooks played a much larger role in Sean Payton's offense, at least compared to how he was utilized in previous weeks. The Panthers have an outstanding front four but they can be susceptible to giving up plays on the back end, so owners should take advantage of another solid matchup. Cooks is our No. 21 overall WR for Week 9 and will be a low-end WR2 for Thursday night.
Week 8: Cooks vs. Packers
Brandin Cooks caught 2-of-3 targets for 23 yards in the Saints’ Week 7 loss to the Lions. The targets were Cooks’ lowest of the season, which was shocking considering Jimmy Graham was held to just 30 snaps due to a shoulder injury. With Pierre Thomas out with an injury this Sunday, one would think that Cooks would have a big role in the game plan, but that’s what everyone thought last week. Consider him a low-end WR3 in PPR formats as he ranks as our No. 30 overall WR for Week 8.
Week 7: Cooks vs. Lions
Brandin Cooks caught nine-of-12 targets for 56 yards in the Saints’ Week 5 win over the Bucs. Fantasy owners are probably frustrated by his overall usage but he’s on pace for 102 catches as he continues to fill the role that Darren Sproles used to in Sean Payton’s offense. With Jimmy Graham expected to miss Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury, Cooks should see plenty of touches in the Saints’ passing game. Consider him a solid WR2 in all formats and get him in your lineup.
Week 5: Cooks vs. Bucs
Brandin Cooks caught five of his six targets for 31 yards in the Saints' Week 4 loss to the Cowboys. It was a disappointing night for the rookie considering his eight-catch, 72-yard performance last week, plus the fact that he didn't see any targets inside the red zone. Through four games Cooks is on pace for 92 yards, 796 yards and four touchdowns and continues to be a decent WR3 option in both standard and PPR leagues. He has a nice matchup this Sunday vs. Tampa Bay and should be in your lineup. He ranks as our No. 25 overall WR for Week 5.
Week 4: Cooks vs. Cowboys
Brandin Cooks caught eight passes for 74 yards in the Saints' Week 3 win over the Vikings. Despite failing to reach paydirt, Cooks led the team in targets and continues to have a key role in Sean Payton's passing game. Minnesota did a great job limiting big plays but Dallas could have a tougher time accomplishing the same feat this week without a pass rush. Cooks remains a WR2 with upside in both standard and PPR formats and ranks as our No. 18 overall WR for Week 4.
Week 3: Cooks vs. Vikings
Rookie Brandin Cooks caught three passes for just 17 yards in the Saints' Week 2 loss to the Browns. Owners hoping that he would match his output from Week 1 (95 total yards and a TD) were left frustrated with Cooks last week. The good news is that he was targeted six times so clearly Sean Payton envisions the rookie having a significant role in the passing game. With the Saints finally getting the opportunity to play at the Superdome this week, Cooks continues to be a low-end WR2 with upside. He ranks as our No. 20 overall WR in Week 3 and has a nice matchup versus Minnesota's defense.
Week 2: Cooks vs. Browns
Brandin Cooks was all over the field last Sunday in Atlanta, catching seven passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, as well as rushing once for 18 yards in the Saints' Week 1 loss. Cooks burned nickel corner Robert McClain throughout the game, although McClain got his payback by intercepting Drew Brees in the end zone while trailing Cooks on a seam route in the second half. If you regret not getting Cooks in your lineup for Week 1, he's a solid WR3 option this Sunday versus the Browns. Despite the presence of Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston, Cooks has clearly carved out a significant role in Sean Payton's offense. He's our No. 29 WR for Week 2.
Week 1: Cooks vs. Falcons
Brandin Cooks is an intriguing fantasy option heading into his first season. While rookie wideouts tend to struggle making an impact, Cooks' playmaking ability was on full display in preseason and he seemingly has carved out a role for himself in Sean Payton's offense. He currently ranks as our No. 34 WR for Week 1 and makes for a boom-or-bust WR3 option for Sunday.
Fantasy Upside
Brandin Cooks should play a significant role in Sean Payton's offense and is a serious Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Payton does a terrific job finding weaknesses in opponents' game plans and he'll utilize Cooks' speed and explosiveness to exploit mismatches. In preseason he lined up all over the field while playing outside the numbers and inside in the slot, and will benefit from the departures of Darren Sproles and Lance Moore. He has as much upside as any WR3 in fantasy.
Fantasy Downside
Rookie wide receivers tend to struggle acclimating to the pro game in their first year. Take Tavon Austin for example. Just like Cooks, he drew rave reviews for his speed, versatility and explosiveness, only to finish as fantasy's WR56 while catching just 40 passes. Granted, Cooks plays for a more innovative play caller than Austin, plus benefits from catching passes from a future Hall of Famer in Drew Brees. But Austin is one of many examples of rookie receivers failing to live up to their hype their rookie years.
Bottom Line
Cooks is projected to catch 66 passes for 850 yards and rack up six touchdowns in his rookie year. These are realistic numbers for a player that will line up in a dynamic offense and with one of the best quarterbacks in the league. As we mentioned in the "Fantasy Downside" section, there's always concern over drafting rookie receivers. But Cooks did nothing in preseason to lead us to believe that he won't be worth his current ADP of the eighth round. He's a WR3 with massive upside.
