The Dallas Cowboys are relying heavily on Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to carry this offense. But they can’t do it all. Someone else in the passing game will have to make some sort of impact.
Could that guy be Brandin Cooks? Should fantasy football managers take a chance on the veteran receiver?
Should You Select Brandin Cooks at His Current ADP?
PPR Industry Consensus ADP: 156th Overall (WR58)
- Decline in Production: Cooks’ days as a reliable WR2 appear to be over. After years of consistent production, Cooks’ fantasy value has declined over the past two seasons, finishing with just 10.8 fantasy points per game last year.
- Reduced Role in Dallas: Cooks’ target share was just 14.3% last season, the lowest of his career (outside of his fluke 2019 season). While he remains a capable receiver, his role in the Cowboys’ offense has diminished, limiting his fantasy upside.
- ADP Analysis: Cooks is currently being drafted as WR58, No. 156 overall. I have him ranked slightly lower at WR60, in line with consensus. While he’s likely to outperform his ADP, his ceiling is capped, making him a less appealing target in fantasy drafts.
- Final Verdict: Cooks is a known quantity at this point in his career. While he may provide solid WR4 production, fantasy managers should prioritize younger players with higher upside in the late rounds of drafts. Cooks is more of a depth option than a potential fantasy starter.
PFN Consensus PPR Fantasy Ranking for Brandin Cooks
Note that these rankings are the PFN Consensus Rankings and may not fully match my analysis. Since Cooks is ranked outside the top 75 in the PFN Consensus Rankings, we’ve listed the consensus WR rankings instead.
52) Christian Watson, WR | Green Bay Packers
53) Mike Williams, WR | New York Jets
54) Josh Downs, WR | Indianapolis Colts
55) Romeo Doubs, WR | Green Bay Packers
56) Adonai Mitchell, WR | Indianapolis Colts
57) Brandin Cooks, WR | Dallas Cowboys
58) Jerry Jeudy, WR | Cleveland Browns
59) Khalil Shakir, WR | Buffalo Bills
60) Rashid Shaheed, WR | New Orleans Saints
61) Joshua Palmer, WR | Los Angeles Chargers
62) Gabe Davis, WR | Jacksonville Jaguars
Cooks’ Fantasy Profile for the 2024 Fantasy Season
It’s fair to say the days of reliable WR2 Cooks are over. Outside of his positive outlier 2016 and negative outlier 2019, Cooks finished between WR16 and WR22 every year from 2014-2021. He was a very reliable fantasy asset with a high floor and a capped ceiling.
In 2022, his third year with the Texans and, more importantly, his age-29 season, Cooks’ production fell off. After never averaging fewer than 13.7 fantasy points per game (outside of the flukey 2019 season), Cooks fell to 11.2 ppg.
As fantasy managers often do, we came up with reasons as to why it wasn’t a decline in ability. The Texans’ QB play was poor (it was). Cooks was mentally checked out (he was). He’ll be out of Houston the following year and bounce back, at least moderately.
The only real difference between Cooks on the Cowboys and Cooks on the Texans is the Cowboys fielded a much, much better offense. Cooks’ production was actually even worse, comparatively speaking.
Cooks had fewer receptions and fewer total yards in 16 games on the Cowboys than he did in 13 games on the Texans the year prior. His 14.3% target share was, by far, the lowest of his career (outside of the aforementioned 2019 season), and he was only targeted on 16.1% of his routes run, 72nd in the league.
The fact that Cooks was able to average 10.8 fantasy points per game was due entirely to catching eight touchdowns on just 54 receptions. It was the third consecutive year his fantasy points per game declined.
Is Cooks a Good Value in Fantasy Drafts?
Cooks finished as the WR43 last season. He’s currently being drafted as the WR68. Based on the Cowboys’ offensive situation, it’s a near guarantee that Cooks will outperform his ADP. Yet, that doesn’t necessarily make him an appealing target in fantasy drafts.
Cooks was third on the Cowboys in targets last season behind Lamb and Jake Ferguson. There’s a chance he could be second this season. Yet, it’s hard to envision him being an impactful fantasy asset.
I have Cooks ranked as my WR60, perfectly in line with consensus. Even though I’m confident he will finish higher than that, I’m not willing to draft him above that spot, and I’m really not interested in him at all.
Outside of very deep leagues, there’s not much value in getting WR4 production from WR5s or WR6s. Sure, it’s more than what you paid for. But it’s still not fantasy-starter-level performance.
It’s unlikely whoever we draft around where Cooks goes is going to matter in fantasy. That player will probably be on the waiver wire by the end of September. So, we might as well take a chance on someone that at last has a shot at top-36 production or better.
We know what Cooks is. The last WR on your roster should be chasing upside. That’s simply not Cooks.