Week 17 vs. Broncos
Jared Cook caught three of his four targets for 44 yards against the Texans in Week 16, marking his sixth consecutive game with at least four looks for the Chargers. He managed 7.9 half-PPR points, a slight bump to his seasonal average of 6.6 per outing. Cook currently sits as the TE18 in half-PPR formats this season.
Fantasy managers in need of a boost at tight end for Fantasy Championship week might be advised to look away from Cook. The Broncos rank 3rd in aFPA to the tight end spot this season and have allowed just one tight end to top 28 receiving yards in a game since Week 10. Cook projects to be a mid-tier TE2 this week, pretty much as he has all season long.
Week 16 vs. Texans
Jared Cook saw seven targets against the Chiefs in Week 16, his most in a single game since Week 6. He caught three of them, his eighth game of the year with at least three grabs, but finished with just 32 scoreless yards. Cook has finished with less than 50 receiving yards in 12 games this season and hasn't topped 50 since Week 4. Cook was the TE23 last week and is the overall TE18 in half-PPR formats.
Cook and the Chargers take on the Texans in Week 16. The Texans rank 20th in aFPA to tight ends, and with Donald Parham likely to miss out after a sickening-looking concussion last week Cook should get a larger piece of the tight end pie. However, the Chargers have leaned on Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler in the passing game, not to mention Mike Williams, for large parts of the season. It is doubtful they would look to unleash Cook this late in the season, even with Ekeler likely to be missing. He's a high-end TE2 at best.
Week 15 vs. Chiefs
Jared Cook drew five targets in Week 14 against the Giants, catching two for just yards. One of his catches did result in a touchdown, however, pushing him to 7.8 Half PPR points and a TE10 weekly finish. Cook is just the TE18 on the season.
Cook has been hampered by a quad injury in practice this week, and might not be at full health if he goes on Thursday night. The Chiefs rank 21st in aFPA to tight ends, but Cook's inconsistent workload and limited production, allied to his health, make him a player that fantasy managers should probably be looking to avoid.
Week 14 vs. Giants
It was pretty much what we have come to expect from Jared Cook in Week 13. Despite the Chargers scoring 41 points and Justin Herbert passing for more than 300 yards, Cook was held to three receptions for 29 yards. It marked the ninth time this season that Cook has failed to top 30 yards in a game. Cook is currently the TE21 in points per game in Half PPR formats.
The Giants ranked 8th in aFPA allowed to tight ends. Cook might pick up some more work given the likely absences of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, but not enough to make him a must-start at the tight end spot. He tops out as a high-end TE2 this week, according to our projections.
Week 13 vs. Bengals
Jared Cook saw five targets for the second game in a row against the Broncos last week. He caught two for just 25 yards, though he did score his first touchdown since Week 6. Cook posted 9.5 Half PPR points against the Broncos and finished as the TE13 for the week.
Cook might be able to string two good performances together with a matchup against the Bengals in Week 13. The Bengals are 23rd in aFPA to tight ends this season and have allowed an average of six receptions for 81 yards and a score to the position since Week 9. But Cook's lack of consistent targets makes him tough to trust above TE2 level, and a low-end TE2 at that.
Week 12 vs. Broncos
Jared Cook enjoyed another quiet day in the Chargers' victory against the Steelers in Week 11. Cook saw five targets, catching three of them for just 28 yards. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 6 and has just two scores all year. Cook chipped in with 4.3 Half PPR points in Week 11, a total exceeded by 23 other players at his position.
Things don't look like getting any easier for Cook or his fantasy managers in Week 12 against the Broncos. They are ranked No.1 in aFPA to the tight end position. If you are in need of help at the tight end spot this week, I don't think Cook can give it to you. He projects as a very low-end TE2 in Week 12.
Week 11 vs. Steelers
Week 10 was comfortably Jared Cook's worst fantasy outing of the season. Cook caught a single pass for 10 yards, giving him a princely total of 1.5 fantasy points in Half PPR formats. Cook has failed to top 48 yards in any of his last five games and has found the end zone just once in this time. He's averaging 6.6 fantasy points per game, "good" for TE22 in points per game.
Things won't get too much easier for Cook against the Steelers in Week 11. The Steelers are ninth in aFPA to tight ends this season and have held teams' tight ends to less than 50 combined yards in three of their last five games. Cook should be viewed as a low-end TE2 in Week 11.
Week 10 vs. Vikings
He didn't put up monster numbers in Week 9, but it was Jared Cook's most productive game in recent time. He caught all four of his targets for 48 yards, catching a two-point conversion on his way to 8.8 fantasy points. It was his third-highest fantasy output of the season and marked his third TE1 game week. His day could have been better. but fellow tight ends Donald Parham and Stephen Anderson also featured prominently, combining for seven receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Annoying.
Cook may struggle for fantasy relevance in Week 10 against the Vikings. They rank fifth in aFPA to tight ends this season, Tight ends are averaging three receptions for 31.2 yards against them over the last five games. Cook should be treated as a mid-tier TE2 this week.
Week 9 vs. Eagles
Jared Cook continues to be a full participant in the Chargers passing offense, but also continues to not really put up the production that makes him truly appealing to fantasy managers. He's tied for the ninth most routes run among all tight ends in 2021, never running less than 26 a game. But he's caught just seven passes in his last three games and hasn't topped 29 yards in any one of those games. He's the TE16 on the year.
Things don't look like improving too much in Week 9 against the Eagles, who rank 22nd in aFPA to the tight end position this season. The Birds have allowed an average of 7.2 receptions for 60 yards to tight ends over their last five games, with Week 8 against the Lions the only one of those games in which a TE didn't find the endzone. But with his current target share, it's hard to trust Cook at any above a mid-tier TE2 in Week 9.
Week 8 vs. Patriots
Jared Cook is still 10th among all tight end in pass routes run, despite already having had his bye week. Cook is also ninth in targets at the tight end position with 33, sits 12th with 21 receptions but a disappointing 17th with 235 receiving yards. He has found the endzone twice in his last three games, but he is merely the TE16 in half-PPR fantasy points per game.
Cook will have his work cut out for him this week if he is to make any noise in fantasy terms. The Patriots are 6th in aFPA to the tight end position and have allowed a mere 2.78 receptions for 34.8 yards over their last five games. Cook is a high-end TE2 this week according to our rankings.
