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As we gear up to the start of the NFL season, Football Absurdity is going to bring you a comprehensive breakdown of every notable player that will be available in fantasy football drafts. When you don’t see us talking about Christine Michael or Mike Davis, don’t get mad at us for neglecting your favorite sleeper. Get mad at yourself for having bad taste in football players. We are only focusing on the top-rated wide receivers in standard scoring and PPR leagues.
With my player profiles, I’ve only decided to go back to look at their fantasy scoring for three years. I could show you lists from earlier, but at the skill positions, I think three years is plenty to see what a player does. I’ve also added a chart for their usage over that time span.
Brandin Cooks ADP and AAV:
Standard: #16 WR, #42 overall.
PPR: #15 WR, #39 overall.
Brandin Cooks Average Auction Value (AAV) $200 Budget: $25
Stats:
FANTASY SCORING — STANDARD
| Rank | Total Points | PPG Rank | PPG | |
| 2018 | 13th | 163.2 | 17th | 10.9 |
| 2017 | 7th | 156.2 | 9th | 9.8 |
| 2016 | 8th | 168.3 | 8th | 11.2 |
FANTASY SCORING — PPR
| Rank | Total Points | PPG Rank | PPG | |
| 2018 | 13th | 243.2 | 19th | 16.2 |
| 2017 | 15th | 221.2 | 17th | 13.8 |
| 2016 | 10th | 246.3 | 9th | 16.4 |
FANTASY USAGE
| Targets | Targets Per Game | Receptions | Receptions Per Game | Catch Rate | |
| 2018 | 117 | 7.3 | 80 | 5.0 | 68.4% |
| 2017 | 114 | 7.1 | 65 | 4.1 | 57.0% |
| 2016 | 117 | 7.3 | 78 | 4.9 | 66.7% |
Overview: Brandin Cooks has sneakily put together four straight 1,000 yard seasons. What’s more impressive is he’s played with three different teams over that span. The ability to put up numbers everywhere he goes speaks volumes about his talent. Just like Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, Cooks’ biggest weakness is playing in a Rams offense that is chock full o’playmakers. That said, there’s no reason to think Cooks won’t be able to continue his 1,000 yard streak in 2019.
Strategy: Our Brandon Cooks Auction Value ($200 Budget): $15
Cooks would be a steal at $15. I’d happily spend a couple more bucks to get him rather than overpay for Robert Woods. Cooks does take a small hit in PPR leagues, as he’s never been a real volume/possession guy. His 80 catches last year was the 2nd highest total of his career. Cooks is a borderline WR1, and a rock solid WR2.
Best Case Scenario: Cooks keeps doing what he’s doing, and maybe tacks on a couple more TDs, locking him in as a top 12 WR.
Worst Case Scenario: **Applies to all Rams receivers** The Rams throw less in 2019. Targets decrease, along with all other receiving stats, and Cooks drops down a tier.
