Week 6 at Tennessee Titans
Deshaun Watson threw for 359 yards in the win over the Jaguars last week, with Brandin Cooks busting out for eight grabs, 161 yards and his first TD as a Texan. In his first four games with Houston Cooks totaled only 10 receptions and 138 yards. Watson has passed for at least 250 yards in all five contests this season so if Cooks has the potential to be a part of your starting lineup each week. At the No. 23 Tennessee pass defense on Sunday he makes for a WR3/flex option.
Week 5 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
With the return of a healthy Will Fuller, Brandin Cooks has become a forgotten part of the Texans offense the past two weeks. In the loss to Minnesota last Sunday he was shutout on three targets, as Watson connected with seven other pass catchers. Through the first quarter of the season Cooks has only 10 catches and no TDs. Even though the Jaguars defense hasn’t been able to slow down any opponent, he makes for a risky fantasy start.
Week 4 vs. Minnesota Vikings
With Will Fuller back at full strength against the Steelers last week, Brandin Cooks received five looks from Deshaun Watson but caught only three passes for 23 yards. Randall Cobb led the Houston receivers with 95 yards and a score out of the slot position. Cooks has been limited to under 25 yards in two of his three games with the Texans and has yet to find the end zone. However, he has a great matchup at home versus the third worst overall defense, so Cooks is a WR3/flex play.
Week 3 at Pittsburgh Steelers
After recording only two grabs in the opener, Brandin Cooks received a team-high eight targets in the loss to the Ravens last week. As Will Fuller was dealing with a sore hamstring, Cooks became Deshaun Watson’s go-to WR, collecting five receptions for 95 yards. Fuller is expected to return on Sunday, which could damper Cooks’ numbers. Consider him a WR3/flex option.
Week 2 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Despite battling a sore quad leading up to the opener last Thursday, Brandin Cooks was able to play on just over half of the offensive snaps. In the loss to the Chiefs, he was targeted five times but finished with only two grabs for 20 yards. Will Fuller will likely be Deshaun Watson’s top option, with Cooks getting more attention as the season continues. In the home opener versus the Ravens, Cooks should be used as at best a WR3/flex start.
Week 1 – Brandin Cooks at Kansas City Chiefs
Playing for his fourth team in five seasons, Brandin Cooks will be making his debut with Houston on Thursday. After registering four straight 1,000-yard seasons, he had a disappointing ’19 with the Rams, finishing with less than 600 yards and only two scores. With the Texans, he’ll be unfairly compared to DeAndre Hopkins, but should be able to turn things around from last season. Even though Will Fuller and Kenny Stills have more history with Deshaun Watson, look for Cooks to find his place with the team and he should see plenty of targets. He makes for a WR3/flex play in the opener. ( He is dealing with a quad injury so be sure to monitor his progress)
Fantasy Upside
As NFL.com reported, the Texans landed Brandin Cooks in a trade with Los Angeles as part of their effort to cover for the loss of DeAndre Hopkins (who left in a trade with Arizona). It's the fourth team for Cooks and it will be the fourth time he's been traded in his career. Cooks was drafted with a first-round pick by the Saints in 2014, traded for a first-round pick to the Patriots in 2017 and traded to the Rams for a first-round pick in 2018. Now, in Houston, Cooks will play in a system similar to the one he played in while with the Patriots. Cooks posted 42 catches for 583 yards and two scores in 2019 -- largely the least productive season of his six-year career. Still, he should be a solid addition to a Texans team that looks to have a well-rounded offense.
Fantasy Downside
Cooks has a history of concussions, something that's worth noting. Also worth reiterating, this is Cooks' fourth team and it seems that he's more popular before arrival than after.
2020 Bottom Line
Trading away Hopkins -- one of the game's elite -- will likely always be a head-scratcher, but now Deshaun Watson has wideouts Cooks, Will Fuller, Randall Cobb and Kenny Stills along with TE Darren Fells and RBs David Johnson and Duke Johnson. Beyond the uncertainty that comes with another change of offenses, However, don't be surprised if the draft price falls low enough to be of interest to bargain-hunting fantasy managers looking for value with upside.
Week 17 vs Arizona Cardinals
Brandin Cooks had his worst season as a pro in 2019, with career lows in targets, yards, and touchdowns, and he ranks as the WR61 through Week 16. Cooks' most recent concussion was his fifth in the last six seasons, and while it's far from certain that his head injuries correlate with his diminished performance this season, it's reasonable to have some concern about his fantasy value moving forward as well as his health as an individual.
Despite an uptick in targets over the past two weeks, it seems extremely unlikely that Cooks will see much time on the field this Sunday. There are simply too many obstacles in Cooks' way to recommend him as a starter in redraft or DFS in Week 17.
Week 16 at San Francisco 49ers
Brandin Cooks' usage bounced back from a season-low 39% snap share in Week 14 to a 71% snap share in Week 15. Cooks was also targeted eight times last week, his highest total since Week 3, and while his four receptions for 46 yards were an improvement over his recent fantasy output, it's still far from useful for fantasy purposes.
Cooks now faces a 49ers defense allowing the ninth-lowest aFPA to wide receivers, while the Rams have recently prioritized targets to Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and tight end Tyler Higbee. The Rams defense is generating the fourth-most pressure in the league, which likely limits the time Jared Goff would need to connect with the deeper, longer-developing routes that are Cooks' specialty. I can't think of a scenario where starting Cooks this week is a good idea.
Week 15 at Dallas Cowboys
Brandin Cooks has been relegated to part-time duty for the Rams, and his 38.6% snap share last week was his lowest of the season if you exclude the Week 8 game in which Cooks was concussed. Cooks was targeted twice against the Seahawks and scored zero fantasy points. Whether his reduced usage purely a coaching decision or a health-related performance issue, you can't expect Cooks to put up fantasy-relevant numbers in Week 15.
