Week 1 at Oakland Raiders
Cooper Kupp turned in a nice rookie season, catching 62 passes on 94 targets for 869 yards and 5 touchdowns. That production was good for fantasy’s WR27 and he’ll return to his slot role in Sean McVay’s offense. With Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Todd Gurley to also feed in this offense, Kupp’s yardage will have a limited ceiling. That said, he’s a solid WR3/WR4 in PPR formats because he should catch plenty of passes. Ranked as our No. 34 WR, Kupp is a FLEX option against a bad Oakland defense for Monday night.
Fantasy Upside
Cooper Kupp had an excellent rookie season, leading all first-year receivers in catches with 62. He was also second to only JuJu Smith-Schuster in yards with 869 and touchdowns with five. Those numbers allowed him to finish as fantasy's WR27, making Kupp one of the better waiver wire pick-ups of the season. The sophomore should be a good bet to post similar numbers in 2018 as he did last year. He already proved a year ago that he has great chemistry with Jared Goff and his role in Sean McVay's offense is secure, even though the team added another playmaker in Brandin Cooks this offseason.
Fantasy Downside
Kupp drew all of his team-high 94 targets out of 11 personal and led the Rams in red zone targets with 23. If those red zone targets get spread out more or McVay decides to target new toy Cooks more, then Kupp could be a touchdown regression candidate. With Cooks, Robert Woods, and Todd Gurley needing touches every week, it's unlikely Kupp ever develops into a WR1.
2018 Bottom Line
Kupp heads into the 2018 season ranked as our No. 42 WR and has a current ADP of 9.08. While he's a touchdown regression candidate, Kupp should catch another 55-60 passes and top out around 800 yards. Depending on his TD production, he could max out as a WR2 with a floor of a WR3. "Safe" is a relative term in fantasy but we pretty much know what to expect out of Kupp, who will draw most of his targets in the slot out of 11 personnel. Thanks to McVay's creative play-design and playcalling, Kupp has plenty of appeal in the ninth round.
Wild Card Round vs. Atlanta Falcons
Cooper Kupp did not play in the Rams' Week 17 loss to the 49ers. He'll be back this Saturday night when L.A. hosts the Falcons. Ranked as our No. 6 WR, Kupp is a solid WR2 option in DFS and playoff leagues this weekend. He caught 62 passes for 869 yards to go along with 5 touchdowns in a productive rookie year. He'll see a lot of Brian Poole in the slot on Saturday night and should catch a handful of passes.
Week 17 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Cooper Kupp caught 4-of-6 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 16 win over the Titans. He had a bad drop in the third quarter but redeemed himself on the team’s final drive by drawing a pass interference penalty and then nabbing a highlight-reel, 14-yard catch in the back of the end zone.
The problem for Week 17 is that the Rams will rest a lot of their starters. Sean McVay says that Kupp, Robert Woods, and Sammy Watkins could see some playing time but ultimately, the head coach will protect his starters so that they’re fresh for the Wild Card round of the playoffs. It’s a safe bet to avoid Kupp on Sunday when the Rams host the 49ers.
Week 16 at Tennessee Titans
Cooper Kupp caught 2-of-3 targets for just 21 yards in the Rams' Week 15 win over the Seahawks. Jared Goff attempted only 21 passes on the day, so there wasn't much emphasis on the passing game. Still, it's clear Kupp will take a backseat to Robert Woods, who returned from a three-game absence due to a shoulder injury. Woods led all receivers in targets, receptions, and yards.
Kupp is our No. 23 WR for Week 16 when the Rams travel to Nashville to take on the Titans. In PPR formats, feel free to use Kupp as a WR3 as the Titans rank 18th against fantasy receivers this season.
Week 15 at Seattle Seahawks
Cooper Kupp caught 5-of-7 targets for 118 yards and a touchdown in the Rams' Week 14 loss to the Eagles. It was the rookie's second 100-yard game in three weeks. Unfortunately, you'll need to downgrade Kupp for Week 15 with Robert Woods (shoulder) expected back. That doesn't mean you shouldn't start Kupp; just lower your expectations for Sunday when the Rams visit the Seahawks.
Ranked as our No. 29 WR for Week 15, Kupp has some appeal as a FLEX option. Seattle has the No. 23 ranked defense against fantasy receivers this season.
Week 14 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Cooper Kupp caught 5-of-6 targets for 68 yards in the Rams’ Week 13 win over the Cardinals. Considering he was coming off the first 100-yard game of his career, this performance was slightly disappointing for Kupp. He was out-targeted by Todd Gurley, who led the team with 84 receiving yards. Still, Kupp was serviceable in PPR formats.
With Robert Woods out, Kupp is worth another flier this week when the Rams host the Eagles. Philly ranks as fantasy’s No. 10 defense against receivers but Kupp is our No. 20 WR for Week 14, so he has WR3 appeal. He’s worth starting in PPR formats, although we view him more as a FLEX option in standard leagues.
Week 13 at Arizona Cardinals
Cooper Kupp caught 8-of-11 targets for 116 yards in the Rams' Week 12 win over the Saints. It was the rookie's first 100-yard game of his career. With Robert Woods out with a shoulder injury, Kupp makes for a nice play in PPR formats. Ranked as our No. 16 WR for Week 13, view Kupp as a solid WR2 on Sunday when the Rams visit the Cardinals.
Week 12 vs. New Orleans Saints
Cooper Kupp caught 6-of-7 targets for 64 yards in the Rams' Week 11 loss to the Vikings. He had a crucial fumble inside Minnesota's 5-yard-line that turned the game around in a negative way for L.A. He also had an awful drop on a 3rd-and-10 pass that would have set the Rams up inside the red zone. While it was a nice PPR day for Kupp, it was a rough real-life game for the rookie.
With Robert Woods out with a shoulder injury, Kupp is on the WR3 radar. The Saints rank third against fantasy receivers this year but Kupp was seeing a fair amount of targets with Woods in the lineup. Ranked as our No. 20 WR, Kupp is a solid play in PPR formats.
Week 11 at Minnesota Vikings
Cooper Kupp caught 6-of-7 targets for 47 yards in the Rams' Week 10 win over the Texans. He tied for second on the team in both targets and catches, although yardage continues to be a problem for the slot receiver. Kupp hasn't gone over 75 yards receiving since Week 1 and has just 1 touchdown in his last five games.
Ranked as our No. 32 WR for Week 11, Kupp will be a FLEX option only when the Rams take on the Vikings in a pivotal matchup in Minnesota on Sunday. He won't kill you in PPR formats, but if Robert Woods is somehow still available in your league, we recommend you pick him up.
