Week 1 at New Orleans
Amari Cooper averaged 10 targets per game through the first four weeks in his rookie season, but was hindered by a foot injury thereafter. He still accumulated 72 receptions in his rookie year. He averaged 4.5 catches and 66.9 yards per game last season on just over eight targets per game. Cooper saw zero targets from inside the 20 in the first seven weeks but had eight on the season, third on his team even behind Seth Roberts. In a great matchup against the Saints (who are one of our lowest ranked teams in WR aFPA), Cooper will be a WR1.
Fantasy Upside
Amari Cooper, the No.4 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, did not disappoint in his first season in Oakland. He had an especially hot start through 11 games before his debilitating foot injury, averaging 5.3 catches for 77.4 yards.
Fantasy Downside
Cooper failed to finish the year strong. Though he was injured down the stretch, he averaged just 2.8 catches and 43.8 yards in his last five games. What is much more worrisome was Coopers lack of involvement in the red zone as he had zero targets within his opponents ten-yard line all season. Michael Crabtree and slot receiver Seth Roberts both exceeded Coopers red zone total.
2016 Bottom Line
Coopers current ADP will prove to be too high unless he can start getting into the end zone more frequently. The Raiders should be a much better team in 2016 so Cooper may not be able to rely on volume in poor game script for production. That said, Cooper is now expected to be healthy so the if the early season player returns, he could make some strides in year two.
Week 17 at Kansas City
In the big picture, fantasy owners have little to complain about with Amari Cooper. He did not cost a super high pick on draft day and heads into the final game of the season with 70 receptions for 1,050 yards and six touchdowns.
But right now, furious would be a word most owners would use to describe their feelings towards Amari. In critical Week 16, Cooper caught just two passes for 10 yards, crippling the hopes of many who were hoping to take home a title. Yes, he was not at full strength due to injury, but the showing was brutal.
Cooper will almost assuredly perform better this week and caught four passes for 69 yards when he did battle with Kansas City earlier in the season. While he is more of a WR2/WR3 at this point instead of a potential franchise player, owners need to show some forgiveness and give Cooper another shot.
Week 16 vs San Diego
After catching zero passes in Week 14, Amari Cooper had to make amends with fantasy owners. And he did just that in Week 15, catching six passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. It was a reminder of just how good Cooper, a strong Rookie of the Year contender, can be.
And Cooper was quite good earlier this year when Oakland played San Diego, catching five passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. Amari may not be able to match the stellar numbers he posted on Sunday, but he will be a solid WR2 who gives you a pretty high ceiling.
Week 15 vs Green Bay
Few were expecting Amari Cooper to put together a big performance last Sunday against Denver’s suffocating defense, but the owners who trusted Cooper were burned, as Cooper failed to catch a pass despite being targeted eight times. Amari has not scored a touchdown since Week 9. As good as Cooper has looked at times, he may be hitting a rookie wall.
But even if he has hit a wall, there is nowhere to go but up after the debacle in Denver, even with the Packers also having a decent pass defense. And with Green Bay’s offense showing improvement in a 28-7 victory over Dallas, there is a chance the Raiders may find themselves in a shootout. While Cooper is nowhere near the WR1 ranks at this point because of his recent slump, he can be started as a WR2/WR3.
Week 14 at Denver
Amari Cooper caught four passes for 69 yards in Week 13. Cooper and the entire Oakland offense received good news on Wednesday when Michael Crabtree received a contract extension. Although Crabtree’s presence reduces Cooper’s overall volume, he also draws defenders away from Amari and has been a big reason why Cooper has had a strong rookie season.
While Cooper has certainly made his mark in his first year, he may have trouble finding firm footing this weekend against the NFL’s best pass defense. The Broncos held Cooper to four receptions for 47 yards back in Week 5. You would have to strain to find a reason to sit Amari if you do not have a lot of depth at receiver, but his stock is considerably lower than it is most weeks, when he is in WR1 range. He is more of a low-end WR2 because of the rough matchup.
Week 13 vs. Kansas City
After catching just one pass in Week 11, it was widely anticipated Amari Cooper would not stay down for long. And that was indeed the case, as Cooper rebounded in Week 12 by catching seven passes for 115 yards.
Kansas City has won five in a row and has shut down the likes of Philip Rivers and Matthew Stafford during that span, but the Chiefs may not have star pass rusher Justin Houston this week and gave up 158 yards and two touchdowns to Buffalo’s Sammy Watkins on Sunday. With the matchup not being as daunting as some might perceive it to be, Cooper should be locked into lineups as a WR2.
Week 12 at Tennessee
For most of the season, Amari Cooper has been doing his best to impersonate last year’s rookie receivers who emerged as immediate stars such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Mike Evans. Last Sunday in Detroit, he unfortunately decided to debut an impersonation of former Oakland draft bust Darrius Heyward-Bey. Cooper caught one pass for four yards and finished with more drops than receptions.
If there is a silver lining, Cooper has nowhere to go but up in Nashville, although the Titans have defended the pass well through ten games. They are holding opponents under 225 yards per game. But while we are talking about silver linings, the Titans have surrendered 17 touchdowns passes. Owners need to believe Cooper’s meltdown in Motown was an aberration and view him as a WR2 this weekend.
Week 11 at Detroit
Amari Cooper was Oakland’s top receiver during their 30-14 loss to Minnesota in Week 10. Cooper hauled in five passes for 79 yards. Amari currently leads the Raiders in receiving yardage and has 50 receptions, one behind Michael Crabtree for the team lead. Cooper will have an excellent opportunity to enhance his Rookie of the Year candidacy against the Lions, who do not have a strong pass defense. The Lions have allowed 16 touchdown passes and surrender over 250 yards a game. The great thing about Cooper is he always seems to have another big game on the horizon, even when he struggles a bit. A big showing in Detroit would not be a surprise, making Cooper a trusty WR1.
Week 10 vs. Minnesota
Although he has taken a slight backseat to Michael Crabtree recently, Amari Cooper remains a critical component of Oakland’s high-powered arsenal. Cooper pulled in seven passes for 88 yards and a touchdown last Sunday as Oakland fell just short in a shootout with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Vikings will present a tough test for Cooper and the rest of the Raiders. Only Denver, St. Louis and Seattle have given up fewer touchdown passes than the Vikings and Minnesota does not give up a lot of yardage. Of course, you are not going to sit Cooper, who can put up big numbers even in tough matchups. He might not be a WR1 this weekend but ought to be a quality WR2.
