Week 17 vs Arizona Cardinals
Brandin Cooks had his worst season as a pro in 2019, with career lows in targets, yards, and touchdowns, and he ranks as the WR61 through Week 16. Cooks' most recent concussion was his fifth in the last six seasons, and while it's far from certain that his head injuries correlate with his diminished performance this season, it's reasonable to have some concern about his fantasy value moving forward as well as his health as an individual.
Despite an uptick in targets over the past two weeks, it seems extremely unlikely that Cooks will see much time on the field this Sunday. There are simply too many obstacles in Cooks' way to recommend him as a starter in redraft or DFS in Week 17.
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.
Week 15 at Dallas Cowboys
Brandin Cooks has been relegated to part-time duty for the Rams, and his 38.6% snap share last week was his lowest of the season if you exclude the Week 8 game in which Cooks was concussed. Cooks was targeted twice against the Seahawks and scored zero fantasy points. Whether his reduced usage purely a coaching decision or a health-related performance issue, you can't expect Cooks to put up fantasy-relevant numbers in Week 15.
Week 14 at Seattle Seahawks
Brandin Cooks saw a 77% snap share in Week 13, close to his 78% average for the season, but his 0.07 PPR points per snap was the ninth-lowest mark among the 73 wide receivers with a snap share of 60% or above. Since returning from a concussion that kept him away from football for four weeks, Cooks has garnered six total targets and hasn't had more than four receptions in a game since Week 4. It's nearly impossible to recommend him as a start during the fantasy playoffs.
Week 13 at Arizona Cardinals
Brandin Cooks returned to action in Week 12, his first game since suffering a concussion in Week 8. Cooks' performance wasn't particularly notable, as he had just two receptions on four targets for 32 receiving yards, but one of those catches went for 22 yards making it clear that Cooks steps right back into his role as a deep threat.
The Rams visit the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13, a matchup that should favor Los Angeles' passing game. The Cardinals have allowed the seventh-most aFPA to wide receivers, and they've also scored 25-plus points in each of their last three games. Vegas projects this game as one of the highest-scoring of the week, which helps Cooks from a volume standpoint. Cooks' target volume makes him an inherently risky start, and he projects as a low-end WR4 or FLEX option.
Week 12 vs Baltimore Ravens
Brandin Cooks is expected to return for the first time since being knocked out of the Rams' Week 8 matchup with the Bengals with a concussion. He remains a risk for re-injury, but he's still quite capable of a WR1 weekly finish in the right matchup.
Unfortunately, Week 12's matchup with Baltimore doesn't project to be one of those. Cooks' high aDOT is a product of both Cooks' speed and his relatively deep and longer-developing routes. The Rams' offensive line inconsistency along with Jared Goff's performance behind it has limited Los Angeles' offensive production overall, but Cooks' target volume has been particularly affected. If Cooks does return to action, he's at best a WR3 start with an extremely low floor and limited ceiling.
Week 10 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Brandon Cooks has been designated as out for Week 10, so make sure he's not in your starting lineup.
Week 8 vs Cincinnati Bengals
Brandin Cooks hasn't finished a game with more than 71 receiving yards since Week 3, and while his seven targets in Week 7 were a promising sign after two straight weeks with just three targets, he still finished as just the fantasy WR42 for the week, lowering his overall ranking to the WR28. As the Rams' primary deep threat, the continued struggles of Jared Goff behind an underperforming offensive line has sapped his value.
Cooks just project to see primary coverage from cornerback Tony McRae, who has arguably been the weakest link in the Bengals' secondary. The Bengals don't present much of a pass-rushing threat, which should be good news for Goff's ability to have enough time to target Cooks on his deeper routes. If Cooks can't take advantage of this defensive matchup, he'll be very difficult to trust as anything more than a WR3 at best with a number of more challenging defenses on the horizon. For Week 8, he's startable as a low-end WR2.
Week 7 at Atlanta Falcons
Brandin Cooks is the fantasy WR32 through Week 6, a standing that is well below what fantasy investors had hoped for through six games. Cooks has yet to put forth a WR1 finish in 12-team 0.5 PPR scoring formats, and whether the pressure rate on quarterback Jared Goff is attributable to his own performance or the offensive line in front of him, the end result is Cooks not seeing the target volume his talent should demand.
Week 7 represents a get-right opportunity for Cooks, with a matchup against a Falcons defense who has struggled to contain wide receivers. Atlanta has an aFPA to wide receivers of 45.9, the third-most of any team. Cooks should see primary coverage from Isiah Oliver, a cornerback who's struggled through six weeks, and whose speed doesn't come close to matching Cooks'. Cooks leads the Rams with an aDOT of 13.8 yards, and this matchup should finally present an opportunity for Cooks to cash in on his deep targets and finish the week as a WR1.
Week 6 vs San Francisco 49ers
Brandin Cooks is fantasy's WR33 through five weeks, a far cry from his WR13 overall finish in 2018. At this same point last season, Cooks was just the WR23, so there's reason to hope for significant improvement going forward. Cooks' 14.9-yard aDOT is the highest among Rams wide receivers, making his routes the longest on-average to develop, which makes Cooks arguably the most adversely affected by the Rams' offensive line struggles.
The Rams face a 49ers defense that boasts both a fantastic pass rush and a secondary adept in coverage, so if you're looking to identify a week with breakout potential for Cooks, this probably isn't it. Cooks is seeing the lowest snap volume among Los Angeles' starting trio of wide receivers, and his target rate of 10.2% is also the lowest. Until both Goff and the Rams offensive line show marked improvement in their ability to be successful on deeper throws, it's hard to trust Cooks as anything more than a mid-range WR3.
