Week 14 at Chicago Bears
Brandin Cooks caught four-of-six targets for 62 yards in the Rams’ Week 13 win over the Lions. Jared Goff and the passing game struggled coming off the bye but Cooks did go over 1,000 yards receiving for the fourth time in his career. Despite a tough matchup on Sunday night in Chicago, view Cooks as a WR2 when the Rams visit the Bears. He ranks as our WR13 and needs to remain in your lineup.
Week 13 at Detroit Lions
Brandin Cooks caught eight-of-12 targets for 107 yards in the Rams’ 54-51 win over the Chiefs in Week 11. His 12 targets led the team, although Robert Woods still saw 11 looks with Cooper Kupp (knee) out. Cooks could have had a bigger night had he not had one pass knocked out of his hands on what would have been a 40-plus yard reception. Jared Goff also short-hopped Cooks on what could have been another big gain later in the game. Cooks has gone over 100 yards receiving in three straight games and ranks as our WR10 for Week 13. View Cooks as a WR1 when the Rams travel to Detroit this weekend.
Week 11 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Brandin Cooks caught 10-of-12 targets for 100 yards in the Rams’ Week 19 win over the Seahawks and also added a nine-yard rushing touchdown off a jet sweep. With Cooper Kupp out for the season with a torn ACL, Cooks could routinely see 10-plus targets every week now. The Rams host the Chiefs on Monday night and while Kansas City ranks a surprising eighth versus fantasy receivers this season, the betting total for that matchup is sitting at 63.5 points. That’s one of the highest over/unders you’ll ever see in an NFL game, making Cooks and some of his teammates must-starts. Ranked as our WR11 for Week 11, view Cooks as a low-end WR1 for Monday night.
Week 10 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Brandin Cooks caught six-of-eight targets for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 9 loss to the Saints. It was a “revenge” spot for Cooks, who faced one of his former teams in a game that lived up to its high-scoring hype. Cooks snagged a 48-yard pass to help ignite a scoring drive in the first half and opened the second half with a 15-yard catch as well as an additional 15-yarder on a game-tying touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. All in all, the doubts that were expressed at the start of the season about Cooks’ role in Sean McVay’s offense have been quelled. Ranked as our WR 14 for Week 10, view Cooks as a WR2 when the Rams host the Seahawks on Sunday.
Week 9 at New Orleans Saints
Brandin Cooks caught three-of-eight targets for 74 yards in the Rams’ Week 8 win over the Packers. Green Bay rookie corner Jaire Alexander was outstanding, but Cooks still found a way to make an impact. He hasn’t gone over 100 yards since September but he remains a solid WR2. The betting total for Sunday’s game between the Rams and Saints sits at 59.5. That’s a high total for an NFL game, indicating a potential shootout in New Orleans. Ranked as our WR14 for Week 9, keep Cooks in your lineup this week. The Saints own the No. 32-ranked defense against fantasy receivers this season.
Week 8 v. Green Bay Packers
Brandin Cooks caught four-of-five targets for 64 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 7 win over the 49ers. The score came from 19 yards out in the second quarter in which he ran an excellent route to get open. Todd Gurley dominated the 49ers defense in the second half, which put Cooks and the rest of the Rams’ passing game on the back burner. Nevertheless, Cooks was still able to score his second touchdown of the season and is ranked as our WR14 for Week 8. View him as a WR2 for Sunday when the Rams host the Packers.
Week 7 at San Francisco 49ers
Brandin Cooks caught two-of-six targets for 53 yards in the Rams’ Week 6 win over the Broncos. Cooks hauled in a 44-yard pass on the Rams’ third play from scrimmage then turned into a ghost the rest of the afternoon. Of course, with Todd Gurley rushing for over 200 yards, the Rams didn’t need to throw much. Still, Robert Woods saw 10 targets and with Cooper Kupp battling a knee injury throughout the game, one would have expected Cooks to see more targets. Nevertheless, he will be a solid WR2 on Sunday when the Rams travel to Santa Clara to take on the 49ers. Cooks ranks as our WR15 for Week 7.
Week 6 at Denver Broncos
Week 5 at Seattle Seahawks
Brandin Cooks caught seven passes for 116 yards and a touchdown on eight targets while also adding a 10-yard rush in the Rams’ Week 4 victory over the Vikings. His highlight came in the first half when he torched corner Trae Waynes with a 47-yard touchdown reception on a perfect pass from Jared Goff. He also beat stud corner Xavier Rhodes for a 23-yard reception in the fourth quarter. The pre-season questions about whether Cooks would wind up being another version of Sammy Watkins in Sean McVay’s offense look silly now. He’s on the WR1 radar this Sunday when the Rams visit the Seahawks, ranking as our WR9 for Week 5.
Week 4 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Brandin Cooks caught 7-of-8 targets for 90 yards in the Rams’ Week 3 win over the Chargers. Cooks has been held without a touchdown, but Sean McVay continues to use him in creative ways and he clearly is in sync with QB Jared Goff. The preseason concerns about whether the Rams would use him more than they did Sammy Watkins last year have been alleviated. Ranked as our No. 16 WR, Cooks is a bona fide WR2 heading into Thursday night’s matchup against the visiting Vikings.
