Entering Week 11’s slate of games, fantasy football managers are surely scouring the latest injury reports to see if their stars are listed. The latest playmaker to suffer a setback and land on the injury report is Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks. He’s been dealing with a wrist and hip issue that limited him in practice earlier this week.
We have the latest injury update on Cooks and a breakdown of whether you should put him into your lineup if he’s active in Week 11.
Brandin Cooks Injury Update
After being questionable in Week 10 due to a wrist injury, Cooks was listed as also dealing with a hip injury early in Week 11. The good news is after he was limited in practice earlier in the week, he participated in Thursday’s on-field action. It would be surprising if he ends up not playing against the Commanders in Week 11.
Coming off a four-reception game with only 37 yards, Cooks is in the midst of his worst season since his 2019 campaign. It’s not entirely Cooks’ fault, as second-year quarterback Davis Mills hasn’t been nearly good enough to earn a third season as the undisputed starter. The Texans’ passing offense is as bland as any across the NFL.
As the WR27 and No. 78 overall player in our PPR fantasy football rankings, Cooks is a borderline starter in most leagues. I think this ranking is too favorable, considering he only has 48.9 yards per game and one touchdown on the season. I’d say Cooks is closer to droppable than startable.
The Commanders haven’t been too effective at slowing receiver scoring in fantasy leagues, giving up 12 receptions for 170.6 yards and one touchdown per game. Washington is the eighth-worst defense against receivers. However, they haven’t allowed more than 245 yards since Week 3, and five of their last six weeks have limited offenses to less than 194 yards.
It’s possible Cooks rewards his fantasy managers with a touchdown or his biggest game of the year, but it’s highly unlikely.
Should You Start Brandin Cooks in Week 11?
Even if he’s healthy, deciding whether to start Cooks or not could be difficult. His injury combination doesn’t appear severe enough to keep him out, but they bring more uncertainty for a player who is caught no more than four passes in each of his last four games. Compounding his injury woes and usage is the fact that the Texans have mismanaged Cooks’ situation since the NFL trade deadline.
Cooks was a team captain prior to the deadline, but the team took it personally when the star receiver was upset when his trade request to a contender was not honored. Cooks responded by missing the following game, and the Texans then stripped his team captain status. It’s difficult to envision the situation turning out with a positive outcome.
Houston has diminished Cooks’ value even more now and for the future by making a set of rash decisions. It was a petty move, and I’m afraid this could translate to limited opportunities on the field. While Mills is unlikely to take it out on Cooks, the team seems to be divested in Cooks as a player and simply viewed him as a trade piece.
MORE: Early Start ’em, Sit ’em Week 11
It’s clear the Texans were upset when they could not maximize his trade value because of the contract they decided to give him. With all this in mind, I would not play Cooks this week, even if he’s active.
While he’s long been a consistent, steadying force on fantasy football rosters, Cooks is not in a position to receive valuable targets in the red zone, nor make up for those lack of opportunities with a high volume of catches. He’ll be banking on touchdowns or a big play, which Washington has been effective at preventing the season. Only play him in an emergency situation.
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