What is the fantasy football outlook for Jared Cook after he made the move to the Los Angeles Chargers this past offseason, and is he worth his ADP in drafts? Let’s take a look at the situation for Cook in LA, his projection for this season, and whether he provides a value at his current ADP.
Jared Cook’s fantasy outlook for 2021
There should be little standing in the way of Cook’s opportunities as the primary tight end for the Chargers in 2021, which is a big positive for his outlook. The departure of Hunter Henry means there is no other clear No. 1 TE. Donald Parham is there, but he saw just 20 targets last season.
Additionally, Cook has familiarity with the scheme likely to be run by new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. Lombardi and Cook have been together in New Orleans for the past two seasons. In that time, Cook has averaged 62.5 targets, 40 receptions, 604.5 yards, and 8 touchdowns.
However, Cook is coming off his lowest year since 2016 in terms of receiving yards. He had just 504 of his 1,209 receiving yards with the Saints in 2020. Yet, in the Saints’ offensive system, he has had more touchdowns than with any other of his NFL teams.
What role could Cook have in the Chargers’ offense?
To see Cook’s potential role this season, let’s look at how the Chargers and Saints targeted the tight end position last season. Cook ranked third on the Saints in terms of targets with 60 in 2020. Meanwhile, Henry saw the second-most targets for the Chargers with 93.
Therefore, looking at both offenses, it seems likely that Cook should have a reasonably significant role, seeing somewhere in the region of 10-15% of the team’s targets this season. That target number could even be higher. The Saints have traditionally had their tight ends receive between 17 and 20% of the team targets. Similarly, the Chargers sent 20% of their targets in the tight ends’ direction.
Fantasy projection
It is tough to project what Cook’s finish might look like in 2021. If he takes the direct role of Henry, he could be a 90-100 target player this year. On the other hand, if he continues to be limited to around 60-70 targets as he was the last two seasons, that is obviously a significant decrease in production.
Currently, Cook projects to be somewhere in the middle of those two numbers. Cook’s fantasy outlook for 2021 is around 80 targets, 50 receptions, 650 yards, and 7-8 touchdowns.
Jared Cook’s ADP
Cook’s ADP for 2021 redraft leagues is around 160 in both 1QB and superflex formats on Sleeper. On Fleaflicker, his current ADP is 175, with both having him right around the 20th QB off the board. The situation is very similar on both Fantasy Football Calculator and the high-stakes NFC format.
Should you draft Cook in 2021?
If you are the type of player who likes to wait on a tight end, there is really no reason not to gamble on Cook and his fantasy outlook in 2021. The pathway is there for Cook to have close to 100 targets playing in the Hunter Henry role.
There is a lack of competition at the position, with Parham and Tre’ McKitty both lacking experience. In terms of the offense, Cook is at best the third option in the passing game, behind Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler. However, he could be in competition with Mike Williams.
The red zone is likely what will make or break Cook this season. He averaged 8 touchdowns per year with the Saints and was second on the team last year with 17 red-zone targets. If Lombardi uses him in a similar manner, his value around the goal line could mean great returns on his ADP.
Drafting Cook at the back end of your draft is a low-risk/high-reward play. If he struggles, you can move on. However, do not pin your strategy around Cook and pass up tight ends that come at a value. If you would normally grab a high-tier guy, still do so. Cook simply presents a fallback option if investing heavily in a tight end is not for you.