2021 Amari Cooper Fantasy Football Player Profile

It’s that time of year once again! Football Absurdity will bring you a breakdown of every notable fantasy football-relevant player throughout June, July, and August. We’ve run through 20 quarterbacks and 40 running backs; that means it’s time to get to the deepest and most varied position! That’s right, we’re on to the wide receivers! The Dallas Cowboys have three very good wide receivers. Can we find any fantasy football value in that wide receiver room? Let’s take a look at 2021 Amari Cooper’s fantasy football value!

Amari Cooper ADP & AAV:

Average Draft Position (HPPR): WR16, Pick 43
Average Auction Value: $13.7 (WR16)

Amari Cooper Statistics:

2021 Amari Cooper Fantasy Football Overview:

Like all members of the 2020 Dallas Cowboys, Amari Cooper had two very distinct seasons last year. Before Dak Prescott’s foot tried to set out on its own, Amari Cooper was a monster. He averaged 7.8 receptions for 84.8 yards per game, on 11 targets. After Dak and his foot disagreed on which direction to head, Cooper averaged fewer targets than he previously had catches. He dropped down to 4.8 receptions for 62.7 yards per game, on just 6.8 targets. Things quickly fell apart in Dallas.

But, I don’t think that Cooper’s 85 yards per game is a new reality. After all, in that timeframe, Dak Prescott was on pace to absolutely smash the passing yards record by over 1,000 yards. Instead, his season-long figures feel somewhat right (1,114 yards on 92 receptions). But, his touchdowns should increase, as he scored just five last year.

There are certain fantasy football circles who want to bury Amari Cooper into the deepest dregs of the WR2 depths, because CeeDee Lamb is new and shiny. I am, shockingly, not one of those people. I spent years poo-pooing his draft cost. Now? I sort of dig it.

2021 Amari Cooper Fantasy Football Draft Strategy:

Amari Cooper Auction Value: $10
Draft Ranking: Find out for your league settings in a Beersheet!

Since Cooper arrived in Dallas, Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper have had 30 games together. In those 30 games, Cooper averages just under 6 catches for 78 yards per game, scoring every other contest. The final 16-game line for that is 91 catches for 1,247 yards and 8 touchdowns. That’s very, very good. But, there is a downside to this, in the form of Cooper’s inconsistency. In those 30 games with Dak, Amari Cooper finished outside the top-36 wide receivers ten times. He also finished top-five five times. Such is the yin and yang of Amari Cooper.

That’s why I’ve always liked Cooper more as a boom-bust WR2 than a backend WR1 on your roster. If you have an extremely strong wide receiver (top-seven or top-eight) whose boom weeks can absorb Cooper’s bust weeks, then I like him. But, don’t look at Amari Cooper like he’s a core player to your fantasy football dream roster.

Best Case Scenario:

Dak Prescott and that Dallas Cowboys’ offense doesn’t miss a beat, and Cooper finishes around WR15 to WR20 with at least one WR1 overall week.

Worst Case Scenario:

The Dallas Cowboys’ offense has tons of issues with Dak returning. They never return to the heights of early 2020. Cooper finishes around WR15 to WR20 with at least one WR1 overall week.

Check out all our 2021 player profiles, here.

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[Statistics are sourced from pro-football-reference.com, airyards.com, and ftnfantasy.com]

[Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/painting-with-pixels/42584602194 under CC BY SA 2.0]