Week 6 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Amari Cooper had only one catch in Week 4 against the Ravens as the Ravens swarmed rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. This week, it’ll be former Panthers quarterback P.J. Walker throwing the ball. One can hope there’s a little better connection for Cooper with Walker. He’s still worth a start this week as he always is, but it will be interesting to see if Walker can handle the defensive front of the 49ers.
Week 4 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Amari Cooper nabbed his first touchdown of the season, his second straight game with 7 catches and his first 100-yard performance of the year. The connection is strong between Cooper and quarterback Deshaun Watson (though Watson is questionable this week). No reason to go against the grain now. The Browns get a Ravens team hoping to get some defensive pieces back soon after playing a bit shorthanded last week against the Colts. But as long as Cooper is on the field, he’s a good bet to produce. He may not be a WR1, but he’s a bona fide WR2 for fantasy.
Week 3 vs. Tennessee Titans
Amari Cooper caught seven passes for 90 yards Monday against the Steelers and that was with him being questionable for the game with a groin injury. He is now also dealing with a shoulder injury but is trending toward playing Sunday in a good matchup against the Titans. Cleveland may throw the ball more with Nick Chubb out but Jerome Ford can still handle the workload. Regardless, Deshaun Watson always looks for Cooper so he remains a fine WR2 this week.
Week 2 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper still have a good connection. Cooper saw seven targets in Week 1. The problem is he only hauled in three of those targets for 37 yards. Still, as Cleveland looks to throw the ball more, Cooper will only continue to get more targets and opportunities. Cooper did post a 101-yard game in Week 3 last season against the Steelers with a touchdown. We'll see if he can post a repeat performance.
Week 1 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland is looking to throw the football more this season as quarterback Deshaun Watson looks to shake off the rust. That's good news for Cooper, who was already a really good receiver even when Watson struggled last season. In one of the meetings with Cincinnati last season, Cooper had 131 yards and a touchdown on five catches. Even with the addition of Elijah Moore, Cooper will still be the man in this offense. He's a good WR2 option this week.
Fantasy Upside
Amari Cooper's first season in Cleveland was a successful one and that was with two quarterbacks throwing him the football. He finished as a borderline WR1 with Jacoby Brissett and Deshaun Watson both starting games. Cooper now gets a full season to build a connection with Watson following a rusty start between the two.
Fantasy Downside
Age could start becoming a factor for Cooper as he is 29 years old this season. The Browns also have a little more weaponry on the outside after trading for Elijah Moore from the Jets this offseason. Donovan Peoples-Jones is also still in the mix, so the Browns could spread the ball out a little more when they pass. This is also a key because Cleveland loves to run the football, understandably so.
2023 Bottom Line
Even with the focus on running, Cooper still commands a solid target share as the top option in the air for the Browns and if Watson can shake off his rust, Cooper should continue being a reliable option in fantasy, one that you can get near the fourth round.
Week 17 at Washington Commanders
Amari Cooper saw 10 targets from Deshaun Watson for the first time this season and that was in a game with frigid conditions. In fact, it was Cooper's best day since Watson returned from suspension. The connection is there between Watson and Cooper but the Browns are facing a good Washington defense on the road, making the matchup tough for Cooper, but he still checks in as a solid flex option due to the volume he is likely to receive each week.
Week 16 vs. New Orleans Saints
Interestingly, Amari Cooper's targets have dwindled in the three games since Deshaun Watson took over as the starter. He saw six targets against the Ravens for 58 yards on four catches. He has now gone four straight games and five out of six without a touchdown. This week, it's a date with the Saints, who incredibly still have playoff hopes themselves. With how the Browns have been running of late, it's tricky to put a lot of stock in their offense in the fantasy playoffs, other than Nick Chubb. However, Cooper can still break out. He's risky, but there's some upside with him.
Week 15 vs. Baltimore Ravens
A hip injury limited Amari Cooper to just two catches for 42 yards against the Bengals. He did still see seven targets, giving him 40 over the last four weeks. In Week 7 against the Ravens, Cooper caught three of his four targets for 74 yards. It's still a tough matchup, but Cooper has developed an early connection with Deshaun Watson (16 targets in two games). Cooper remains a strong flex play with upside.
Week 14 at Cincinnati Bengals
In the first look at the Deshaun Watson-Amari Cooper connection, Cooper was targeted 9 times but only caught 4 passes for 40 yards. But the good news is that he did see 9 targets, so Watson will clearly look Cooper's way. The Browns -- and Cooper's fantasy owners -- are hoping Cooper can replicate his outing from Week 8 against the Bengals, when he caught 5 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. He'll see the targets, making him worthy of WR2 territory this week.
