WR Brandin Cooks, Free Agent (1 Viewer)

[BigTex]

The Rams used three or four wide receiver sets on 86% of their offensive snaps last season, the NFL average of 59%.  That’s a lot, the ONLY reason I’m trading Cooks is because I’m banking on getting a top draft pick next year. Cooks has been mainly playing as an outside WR while Woods and Kupp played major time in the slot last season.

My biggest issue with Cooks and the rest of the WRs is that even though they run the 11 personnel  set over 80% of the time 63% of plays were passes compared to 72% percent NFL average. That’s what my concern would be. Now I don’t know at this point how much of that was RPO but I plan to find out because that absolutely makes a difference in my mind.

Tex

 

[jtd13]

In redrafts and best balls I have zero shares.  Just won't see enough targets and has a limited route tree.

I see this mentioned from time to time, but I don't know where it comes from. 

 

[jtd13]

Yeah in redraft he's over valued, and dynasty under valued 

I don't play best ball, but I would think that's a perfect format for him. 

I agree. I'm trying to buy on the negative hype in dynasty, but owners haven't lowered him much. I think he could have a rough transition year though, so maybe in season I'll have better luck.

 

[Interseptopus]

One day I like cooks, the next I don't. You read stuff that's about 50/50 on him too. 

One player that comes to mind for me, that is concerning, is Mike Wallace. 

Mike Wallace's first 4 seasons look eerily similar to Brandin Cooks. Similar talent as well- very fast, deep ball threat. 

If you had Mike Wallace in 2011 you were thinking you had the next best thing. Even in 2012. Changes teams and not so much. I worry Brandin Cooks could fall into Mike Wallace territory. 

I've seen the criticism that he has a "limited route tree," but after the Patriots traded for him this was tweeted showing Brandin Cooks was the best WR in the league by a mile on routes with multiple breaks. That, to me, says not a limited route tree. That says the more branches in that tree, the better Brandin Cooks is compared to the rest of the league. 

Tough to get my finger on this guy. I can see stats similar to last season, but I can also see a dip into Mike Wallace obscurity. Especially on a team where no single receiver had over 95 targets in 2017

 

 

[Sebowski]

One day I like cooks, the next I don't. You read stuff that's about 50/50 on him too. 

One player that comes to mind for me, that is concerning, is Mike Wallace. 

Mike Wallace's first 4 seasons look eerily similar to Brandin Cooks. Similar talent as well- very fast, deep ball threat. 

If you had Mike Wallace in 2011 you were thinking you had the next best thing. Even in 2012. Changes teams and not so much. I worry Brandin Cooks could fall into Mike Wallace territory. 

I've seen the criticism that he has a "limited route tree," but after the Patriots traded for him this was tweeted showing Brandin Cooks was the best WR in the league by a mile on routes with multiple breaks. That, to me, says not a limited route tree. That says the more branches in that tree, the better Brandin Cooks is compared to the rest of the league. 

Tough to get my finger on this guy. I can see stats similar to last season, but I can also see a dip into Mike Wallace obscurity. Especially on a team where no single receiver had over 95 targets in 2017

 

To stick with Steelers, yeah, maybe he's Mike Wallace. Maybe he's Antonio Brown. 

 

[Interseptopus]

To stick with Steelers, yeah, maybe he's Mike Wallace. Maybe he's Antonio Brown. 

right. but Brown gets like 160 targets. I dont think Cooks is getting even close to that.

Also Brown runs the 40 yard 0.14 seconds slower than Cooks. that's significant. 

Wallace and Cooks had identical 40 times. a fast wr who is a fast wr and that's about it. seen it many times before. or is he something special. hard to say and that's my biggest issue trying to determine if I should trade. 

 

[Sebowski]

right. but Brown gets like 160 targets. I dont think Cooks is getting even close to that.

Also Brown runs the 40 yard 0.14 seconds slower than Cooks. that's significant. 

Wallace and Cooks had identical 40 times. a fast wr who is a fast wr and that's about it. seen it many times before. or is he something special. hard to say and that's my biggest issue trying to determine if I should trade. 

Yeah probably not on that Rams offense unless he proves to command it with production. His build is more similar to Brown than Wallace though. Plus he's faster than Brown. Don't get me wrong, I am NOT saying he's Antonion bleeping Brown. Only one of those cats. But, at this point in his career, you can't completely rule it out just like you can't rule out that he's Mike Wallace. 

More realistic comparison than either of those guys for me is DeSean Jackson. Game breaker that can do the under stuff too. Boom and Bust games. Offense and gamescript dependent. Hopefully he can stay healthier than Jackson, though honestly, one of my biggest concerns with him was that crazy hit he took in the Super Bowl. Hopefully he isn't on that concussion pattern now. 

 

[King of the Jungle]

It is my opinion that anyone that thinks Cooks is going to blow up on the Rams this year more so than he did with Brees and Brady may be insane. No offense, but I think Kupp is going to continue to surprise and surpass last years numbers, if Woods is healthy he will produce, promising TE group will improve, and Gurley is still the centerpiece. Goff is still a young QB who will take the safer option. I don’t understand the Cooks love.

 

[travdogg]

It is my opinion that anyone that thinks Cooks is going to blow up on the Rams this year more so than he did with Brees and Brady may be insane. No offense, but I think Kupp is going to continue to surprise and surpass last years numbers, if Woods is healthy he will produce, promising TE group will improve, and Gurley is still the centerpiece. Goff is still a young QB who will take the safer option. I don’t understand the Cooks love.

I don't think anybody is expecting a top-10 season. But Cooks is a lot more than just a deep threat, and will often be that safe option, he basically spent his first season with the Saints as a 5 yard route, make guys miss option, before graduating to deep threat status. Not that you said it, but I think many are assuming he'll fill the Watkins role, and I think that is incorrect. He's a different type of player, and isn't showing up a week before the season starts. I feel pretty good about Cooks being the Rams leading receiver. 

I've got Cooks in the same tier with guys like Fitzgerald and Tate. Optimal WR3, with WR2 potential.

 

[Sebowski]

It is my opinion that anyone that thinks Cooks is going to blow up on the Rams this year more so than he did with Brees and Brady may be insane. No offense, but I think Kupp is going to continue to surprise and surpass last years numbers, if Woods is healthy he will produce, promising TE group will improve, and Gurley is still the centerpiece. Goff is still a young QB who will take the safer option. I don’t understand the Cooks love.

I don't get the "He's had Brees and Brady the whole time!" argument at all. I get the offense is more conservative argument, but the Brady/Brees thing doesn't mean anything. Brady underthrew Cooks a bunch last year. Goff isn't Kizer or Peterman. And the Rams are a winning football team. There are a lot of WRs that do just fine without Brady or Brees throwing to them. 

 

[King of the Jungle]

I don't get the "He's had Brees and Brady the whole time!" argument at all. I get the offense is more conservative argument, but the Brady/Brees thing doesn't mean anything. Brady underthrew Cooks a bunch last year. Goff isn't Kizer or Peterman. And the Rams are a winning football team. There are a lot of WRs that do just fine without Brady or Brees throwing to them. 

I just don’t think he is good enough to command targets and I without an upper echelon QB to maximize his ability I don’t think he is worth his ADP. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kupp outscored him this year in FF.

 

[gianmarco]

I don't get the "He's had Brees and Brady the whole time!" argument at all. I get the offense is more conservative argument, but the Brady/Brees thing doesn't mean anything. Brady underthrew Cooks a bunch last year. Goff isn't Kizer or Peterman. And the Rams are a winning football team. There are a lot of WRs that do just fine without Brady or Brees throwing to them. 

If anything, I think he will benefit from not playing with Brees and Brady.  Those 2 QBs are kings of spreading the ball around.  I think a lesser QB will lean on him more given the amount of separation he gets.

 

[kneeshooter]

Extended through 2023

 

[Milkman]

Extended through 2023

Great news for Cooks owners. He's on the best offense in the league for the next 5 years. With them giving up a 1st for him they needed to get this done. 

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I'm baffled by the lack of respect Cooks gets in the dynasty community. All he's done is average 75-1,131-8 over the last three years after a decent rookie season where he wasn't used properly, and he's still only 24 years old. Yet, guys who have accomplished far less are drooled over while he's dismissed by most.

 

[Milkman]

Sean Mcvay is going to use him. 

It will be interesting to see the contract details. 

 

[Penguin]

Adam Schefter‏Verified account @AdamSchefter 7m7 minutes ago

Rams are giving WR Brandin Cooks a five-year extension worth $80 million, tying him to LA for six years at $88 million, per source.

 

[jtd13]

Adam Schefter‏Verified account @AdamSchefter 7m7 minutes ago

Rams are giving WR Brandin Cooks a five-year extension worth $80 million, tying him to LA for six years at $88 million, per source.

Wow, good for Cooks.

 

[Interseptopus]

Sean Mcvay is going to use him. 

It will be interesting to see the contract details. 

Is he going to get 100 targets? Not a single ram received more than 94 targets last year. 

If so, then whose targets does he take from? 
 

I'm baffled by the lack of respect Cooks gets in the dynasty community. All he's done is average 75-1,131-8 over the last three years after a decent rookie season where he wasn't used properly, and he's still only 24 years old. Yet, guys who have accomplished far less are drooled over while he's dismissed by most.

I can only speak for myself, but my biggest issue with Cooks was that he could turn into Mike Wallace or Desean Jackson; a guy who can take the top off a defense but that's about it. I'm not sure he can be anything more.He's definitely an excellent player to have as a WR2/3, but he was thought to have potential for so much more. So I don't think it's that 75-1131-8 is no good, I'd just say he's not meeting expectations when he was drafted. And maybe they were set too high to begin with. 

Being in LA my expectations are significantly decreased for him. I don't see how this offense can support a RB who dominates the passing game, and two WRs in the WR2 discussion. Not when Gurley takes such a large chunk of the targets. Those targets have to come from somewhere. The 70 that Watkins left aren't enough. 

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I can only speak for myself, but my biggest issue with Cooks was that he could turn into Mike Wallace or Desean Jackson; a guy who can take the top off a defense but that's about it. I'm not sure he can be anything more.He's definitely an excellent player to have as a WR2/3, but he was thought to have potential for so much more. So I don't think it's that 75-1131-8 is no good, I'd just say he's not meeting expectations when he was drafted. And maybe they were set too high to begin with. 

He's already shown to be more than just a deep threat in NO and in NE - and if Brady could throw deep anymore his numbers would have been even better.

How is a three year average of 75-1131-8 in a player's first four seasons not living up to expectations? What kind of expectations should we have had?

 

[Hankmoody]

I'm baffled by the lack of respect Cooks gets in the dynasty community. All he's done is average 75-1,131-8 over the last three years after a decent rookie season where he wasn't used properly, and he's still only 24 years old. Yet, guys who have accomplished far less are drooled over while he's dismissed by most.

WR18 in my PPR.  If I could get him for that price, sure, I'd go there.  But he's commanding top 10 asking prices.  And I'm not a huge fan of Goff.  I do trust McVay to keep the O as a whole going, but I'm not entirely sure Cooks can justify his price.  Kupp is a target darling, Gurley will always be top dog, Woods might be starting to justify his draft hype, and they drafted a TE hand-picked by the new coach that just left turning Jordan Reed into a monster.

 

[Anarchy99]

Is he going to get 100 targets? Not a single ram received more than 94 targets last year. 

If so, then whose targets does he take from? 

I am spit balling here, but . . .

Watkins had 70 targets. Austin had 22. That's already 92 targets.

I don't know who Josh Reynolds is, but he had 24 targets. And I am unfamiliar with Derrick Carrier (who had 11 targets).

That's 127 targets between those players. And who is to say the Rams won't throw more than the 518 times they did last season (ranking 24th in the league)?

 

[Interseptopus]

He's already shown to be more than just a deep threat in NO and in NE - and if Brady could throw deep anymore his numbers would have been even better.

How is a three year average of 75-1131-8 in a player's first four seasons not living up to expectations? What kind of expectations should we have had?

He's viewed as top 12 talent in leagues. Not a as a WR2. I was able to trade at a higher price than a mid to low WR2. So I think people have expectations of him being the next guy to jump into the top 5, and he never will. He will be a solid WR2. He was somewhere in the high teens/low 20s in my league in 2017. 

 

[Interseptopus]

I am spit balling here, but . . .

Watkins had 70 targets. Austin had 22. That's already 92 targets.

I don't know who Josh Reynolds is, but he had 24 targets. And I am unfamiliar with Derrick Carrier (who had 11 targets).

That's 127 targets between those players. And who is to say the Rams won't throw more than the 518 times they did last season (ranking 24th in the league)?

It's possible, but you literally just took two guys targets completely away and gave them to Cooks. I suppose we could take Kupps away and give them to Cooks... he's p[rimed for a record setting year... 

It's reasonable to say Watkins + Austin for 2018, given neither are on the team and Cooks fills the role both of them served (speedy / deep threat). I'd be surprised if he got 100 targets in 2018. 

 

[Milkman]

Is he going to get 100 targets? Not a single ram received more than 94 targets last year. 

If so, then whose targets does he take from? 
 

I can only speak for myself, but my biggest issue with Cooks was that he could turn into Mike Wallace or Desean Jackson; a guy who can take the top off a defense but that's about it. I'm not sure he can be anything more.He's definitely an excellent player to have as a WR2/3, but he was thought to have potential for so much more. So I don't think it's that 75-1131-8 is no good, I'd just say he's not meeting expectations when he was drafted. And maybe they were set too high to begin with. 

Being in LA my expectations are significantly decreased for him. I don't see how this offense can support a RB who dominates the passing game, and two WRs in the WR2 discussion. Not when Gurley takes such a large chunk of the targets. Those targets have to come from somewhere. The 70 that Watkins left aren't enough. 

Kupp is the big loser imo. Actually see Cooks pushing 110 targets. Woods will lead the team in targets and is a huge buy low for me right now. Woods total targets are a little misleading. He had 63 targets his last 8 games.......he's the Rams #1 WR.......the Rams are the best offense in football.......nobody is talking about him.

Target distribution will look like this imo.

Woods - 120

Cooks - 110

Gurley - 85

Kupp - 60

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I can only speak for myself, but my biggest issue with Cooks was that he could turn into Mike Wallace or Desean Jackson; a guy who can take the top off a defense but that's about it. I'm not sure he can be anything more.He's definitely an excellent player to have as a WR2/3, but he was thought to have potential for so much more. So I don't think it's that 75-1131-8 is no good, I'd just say he's not meeting expectations when he was drafted. And maybe they were set too high to begin with. 

Being in LA my expectations are significantly decreased for him. I don't see how this offense can support a RB who dominates the passing game, and two WRs in the WR2 discussion. Not when Gurley takes such a large chunk of the targets. Those targets have to come from somewhere. The 70 that Watkins left aren't enough. 

Why do they have to?  Why can't Robert Woods just be another one of about a thousand guys that had one random decent season and then faded back into mediocrity?  Gurley was never really thought to be a prolific receiver.  Why can't he be one of about a thousand RBs that had one random outlier receiver year in his career?

The NFL changes fast.  I think a lot of times people assume that things are going to remain way too status quo from year to year, especially when we are talking about a sample size of 1 year for McVay in LA.  We all know that Super Bowl teams often see catastrophic dropoffs from one year to the next, but we all still project them to win 13 games the next year.  We all know the list of playoff teams sees massive turnover from one year to the next, but we all still project a set of playoff teams that looks mostly similar to last years.  We all know that about 2/3rds of WR1/RB1's in fantasy football don't finish as WR1/RB1's the next year, but in our rankings we still have the majority of our top 12 guys players being guys who were top 12 players last year.

Target distribution is a similar concept.  Heck Steven Jackson looked like one of the best receiving RBs in NFL history in his 3rd year with the Rams, and the next year he saw 60 (!!) fewer targets and never came within 50 targets of that 3rd season ever again.

And of course, as has been pointed out above, there is always the reasonable possibility that the Rams aren't in the bottom quarter of the league in pass attempts again.

I'm not saying Cooks is going to be some huge thing, but the "where will the targets come from?" is always kind of a silly question to me.  If Cooks is as good as his supporters hope he is, Woods, Kupp, and a RB will not be a long term issue.  If someone doesn't think he's good enough to distance himself from those guys that's certainly fair, but the notion that he's a really good player who will be held back by the awesomeness of LA's current receiving options doesn't really jive for me.

 

[Sebowski]

Is he going to get 100 targets? Not a single ram received more than 94 targets last year. 

If so, then whose targets does he take from? 
 

I can only speak for myself, but my biggest issue with Cooks was that he could turn into Mike Wallace or Desean Jackson; a guy who can take the top off a defense but that's about it.

I think you are holding his speed against him. He has the same build as Antonio Brown. Just much faster. No reason he can't do all those things as well as be a top deep threat. Both the Saints and Patriots also loved in in the pseudo run game with shovels, reveres, bubbles. Rams have to love all that to give him this extension.  

 

[Buckna]

WR18 in my PPR.  If I could get him for that price, sure, I'd go there.  But he's commanding top 10 asking prices.  And I'm not a huge fan of Goff.  I do trust McVay to keep the O as a whole going, but I'm not entirely sure Cooks can justify his price.  Kupp is a target darling, Gurley will always be top dog, Woods might be starting to justify his draft hype, and they drafted a TE hand-picked by the new coach that just left turning Jordan Reed into a monster.

Doesn't seem like it anymore. I imagine many folks aren't selling and hoping for a rebound in value, but here are the last few trades posted in the dynasty trade thread since early June:

-Brandin Cooks for a 2019 1st (6-12), 3rd, Godwin.

-Team A gets Brandin Cooks

Team B gets Amari Cooper, Cameron Brate, and Mack Hollins

-Team A gets Cooks, Doyle, jaleel scott

Team B gets Crowder, Albert Wilson, Gerald Everett

- Brandon Cooks for Baldwin

I'd pay every one of those for Cooks except maybe the Cooper one, only because I think I could get more for Cooper despite his issues.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Rams signed WR Brandin Cooks to a five-year, $80 million extension through 2023.

The Rams moved aggressively for Cooks after letting Sammy Watkins walk in free agency, and did not want to lose a field-stretching lid lifter for the second-straight free agency in 2019. It's a bold move considering Watkins' disappointing production with conservative Jared Goff, but the Rams spent the entire offseason talking Cooks up. Still somehow only 25 in September, Cooks is coming off three-straight 1,000-yard seasons, albeit with Drew Brees and Tom Brady at quarterback. He also has stiff target competition in Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Todd Gurley. Probably headed for a WR2/3 campaign in fantasy, Cooks will likely be more valuable on the real-life gridiron than virtual.

Jul 17 - 3:06 PM

 

[Interseptopus]

Why do they have to?  Why can't Robert Woods just be another one of about a thousand guys that had one random decent season and then faded back into mediocrity?  Gurley was never really thought to be a prolific receiver.  Why can't he be one of about a thousand RBs that had one random outlier receiver year in his career?

The NFL changes fast.  I think a lot of times people assume that things are going to remain way too status quo from year to year, especially when we are talking about a sample size of 1 year for McVay in LA.  We all know that Super Bowl teams often see catastrophic dropoffs from one year to the next, but we all still project them to win 13 games the next year.  We all know the list of playoff teams sees massive turnover from one year to the next, but we all still project a set of playoff teams that looks mostly similar to last years.  We all know that about 2/3rds of WR1/RB1's in fantasy football don't finish as WR1/RB1's the next year, but in our rankings we still have the majority of our top 12 guys players being guys who were top 12 players last year.

Target distribution is a similar concept.  Heck Steven Jackson looked like one of the best receiving RBs in NFL history in his 3rd year with the Rams, and the next year he saw 60 (!!) fewer targets and never came within 50 targets of that 3rd season ever again.

And of course, as has been pointed out above, there is always the reasonable possibility that the Rams aren't in the bottom quarter of the league in pass attempts again.

I'm not saying Cooks is going to be some huge thing, but the "where will the targets come from?" is always kind of a silly question to me.  If Cooks is as good as his supporters hope he is, Woods, Kupp, and a RB will not be a long term issue.  If someone doesn't think he's good enough to distance himself from those guys that's certainly fair, but the notion that he's a really good player who will be held back by the awesomeness of LA's current receiving options doesn't really jive for me.

I think kupp is more than JAG. Woods yes, I think he is mediocre

 

[Interseptopus]

I think you are holding his speed against him. He has the same build as Antonio Brown. Just much faster. No reason he can't do all those things as well as be a top deep threat.

Both the Saints and Patriots also loved in in the pseudo run game with shovels, reveres, bubbles. 

So all it takes to he the #1 WR for the majority of a decade is to be 5'10 185 and have some speed? come on. Brown isnt brown because of his build. there are a lot of flaws to Cooks preventing him from being the next brown. 

Saints and Patriots liked him enough to trade him for a 1st rounder. Guess they're both wrong about him. 

I'm 50/50 on him. I do like a lot about him but I also dislike a lot about him. hes tough to get a pulse on. is he what he is/has been, or can he be more, or will he fade away as many of these one trick poneys have. as I said, it's tough either way. I'm presenting the negatives but I do agree with many of the positives.

 

[Sebowski]

So all it takes to he the #1 WR for the majority of a decade is to be 5'10 185 and have some speed? come on. Brown isnt brown because of his build. there are a lot of flaws to Cooks preventing him from being the next brown. 

Saints and Patriots liked him enough to trade him for a 1st rounder. Guess they're both wrong about him. 

I'm 50/50 on him. I do like a lot about him but I also dislike a lot about him. hes tough to get a pulse on. is he what he is/has been, or can he be more, or will he fade away as many of these one trick poneys have. as I said, it's tough either way. I'm presenting the negatives but I do agree with many of the positives.

I'm just giving the other side of the Mike Wallace spectrum. Truth is for sure closer to the middle. If Wallace is 0 and AB is 10 Cooks is more around 7 for me. 

 

[Interseptopus]

I'm just giving the other side of the Mike Wallace spectrum. Truth is for sure closer to the middle. If Wallace is 0 and AB is 10 Cooks is more around 7 for me. 

I'd agree. maybe I'd go a 6, 6.5. 

 

[fruity pebbles]

I think kupp is more than JAG. Woods yes, I think he is mediocre

Dont think eiither are JAG. Think everyone fills a role in McVays offense. Hes always had a field stretcher. Unfortunately, that guys never had more than 100 targets. 

 

[Shawnky]

Amazing he get an extension, yet Donald is still waiting.

 

[gianmarco]

It's possible, but you literally just took two guys targets completely away and gave them to Cooks. I suppose we could take Kupps away and give them to Cooks... he's p[rimed for a record setting year... 

It's reasonable to say Watkins + Austin for 2018, given neither are on the team and Cooks fills the role both of them served (speedy / deep threat). I'd be surprised if he got 100 targets in 2018. 

Easily take the over on 100 targets.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Saints and Patriots liked him enough to trade him for a 1st rounder. Guess they're both wrong about him. 

They both spent first round picks to acquire him as well. The Pats weren’t going to extend him - that’s not their style - so they needed to get something for him. 

Im any case the Rams traded a first FOR HIM and immediately signed him long term. Does that tell you they’re only planning to give him Watkins 70 targets from last year?

 

[Interseptopus]

They both spent first round picks to acquire him as well. The Pats weren’t going to extend him - that’s not their style - so they needed to get something for him. 

Im any case the Rams traded a first FOR HIM and immediately signed him long term. Does that tell you they’re only planning to give him Watkins 70 targets from last year?

they traded a 2nd for Watkins and only gave him 70. so at this point I dont know what to believe. I know they wanted cooks last year and the level of investment is significant, especially with the extension. itll be interesting to see, but I am not sure he tops his stats from NE/NO. that's all. hes fine as a wr2 but many were hoping for wr1 numbers. I'm not sure if he can produce that. maybe. but at this point the LAR offense has not been pass happy under McVay. maybe its because he hasn't had a wr yet. no idea but it's all we have to go off of

 

[-OZ-]

I'm baffled by the lack of respect Cooks gets in the dynasty community. All he's done is average 75-1,131-8 over the last three years after a decent rookie season where he wasn't used properly, and he's still only 24 years old. Yet, guys who have accomplished far less are drooled over while he's dismissed by most.

Yep. He's looked better than Amari Cooper. Yet coop goes roughly a round earlier usually.  I prefer cooks.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

they traded a 2nd for Watkins and only gave him 70. so at this point I dont know what to believe. I know they wanted cooks last year and the level of investment is significant, especially with the extension. itll be interesting to see, but I am not sure he tops his stats from NE/NO. that's all. hes fine as a wr2 but many were hoping for wr1 numbers. I'm not sure if he can produce that. maybe. but at this point the LAR offense has not been pass happy under McVay. maybe its because he hasn't had a wr yet. no idea but it's all we have to go off of

Watkins only got there about a week before the start of the season. 

 

[-OZ-]

Watkins only got there about a week before the start of the season. 

August 11, but close enough.

 

[fruity pebbles]

They both spent first round picks to acquire him as well. The Pats weren’t going to extend him - that’s not their style - so they needed to get something for him. 

Im any case the Rams traded a first FOR HIM and immediately signed him long term. Does that tell you they’re only planning to give him Watkins 70 targets from last year?

Doesnt tell me much of anything other than they think hes good at the field stretcher role in McVays offense. Dont think you can project more than 100 targets unless youre hoping. DJax never had more than 100 in his 3 years in the role and Watkins obviously didnt have more than that either. Of course things can change and maybe Cooks is flat out better than those two but i wouldnt be comfortable going against history here.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Doesnt tell me much of anything other than they think hes good at the field stretcher role in McVays offense. Dont think you can project more than 100 targets unless youre hoping. DJax never had more than 100 in his 3 years in the role and Watkins obviously didnt have more than that either. Of course things can change and maybe Cooks is flat out better than those two but i wouldnt be comfortable going against history here.

Obviously I can not sit here and state for sure that Cooks will receive 100 or more targets, but I don't know that Desean Jackson nor Watkins has much bearing on this situation. McVey was running Jay Gruden's offense in Washington and Jackson has always been used as a pure deep threat. I don't like the schtick when people throw out "do you watch the games" but when people say Cooks is a one trick pony or just a situational deep threat guy, the thought definitely crosses my mind. Cooks was not exclusively a deep threat in NO and especially not in NE. As far as Watkins goes he was brought to the team late in the game after all of the offseason game plans were in place, so I won't flat out dismiss his low target totals but I do see some explanation for it. I also think he's been a career underachiever.

I just don't think the Rams sent a first round pick and threw a big money contract at Cooks just to give him 70 targets. That's not logical but teams don't always follow logical patterns I guess.

I do admit that the Rams have a lot of mouths to feed now in the passing game - and theoretically having Gurley and a strong defense could lead to a ball control offense but I still think Cooks will be no worse than the second most targeted player and I'd set his over/under on targets at 100. He will also likely continue to be a boom-bust type as far as production goes but that's never bothered me like it does some people and there are studies that show those players are every bit as valuable as "steady-eddy" types.

 

[Milkman]

Woods will lead the team in targets and Cooks will lead the team in receiving TDs and receiving yards.

 

[jtd13]

I don't know what's going to happen, but I would find it odd LA would not have more planned for Cooks than what they did with Watkins. They gave up a 1st to acquire Cooks and then paid him $16 million a year, when they could have just paid Watkins the exact same contract and kept the 1st.

 

[Ilov80s]

Certainly one of the more perplexing receivers. 24 years old with 4000 yards and 28 TDs is super impressive. However, he has done it with 2 HoF QBs  when they didn't have great receiving cores and both of those organizations have traded him away. Weird situation.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Certainly one of the more perplexing receivers. 24 years old with 4000 yards and 28 TDs is super impressive. However, he has done it with 2 HoF QBs  when they didn't have great receiving cores and both of those organizations have traded him away. Weird situation.

There’s certainly something odd with him being so productive yet traded away twice (although the Pats moving him instead of paying him is par for the course). So far he’s been able to maintain a first round trade value at least. 

 

[Ilov80s]

There’s certainly something odd with him being so productive yet traded away twice (although the Pats moving him instead of paying him is par for the course). So far he’s been able to maintain a first round trade value at least. 

Right, both teams got good value back for him- 1st round picks aren't easily traded but usually 1000 yard receivers on rookie deals aren't either. 

 

[Hankmoody]

Doesn't seem like it anymore. I imagine many folks aren't selling and hoping for a rebound in value, but here are the last few trades posted in the dynasty trade thread since early June:

-Brandin Cooks for a 2019 1st (6-12), 3rd, Godwin.

-Team A gets Brandin Cooks

Team B gets Amari Cooper, Cameron Brate, and Mack Hollins

-Team A gets Cooks, Doyle, jaleel scott

Team B gets Crowder, Albert Wilson, Gerald Everett

- Brandon Cooks for Baldwin

I'd pay every one of those for Cooks except maybe the Cooper one, only because I think I could get more for Cooper despite his issues.

FFPC PPR
Team A gave M.Evans
Team B gave B.Cooks, 2019 1st (league winner last year so late pick)

And Cooper's a top-10 WR value very solidly, and that guy got more than him for Cooks.  2/5 right there plus that Crowder trade is a joke, which is one of the problems with using that thread as a definitive source.  A bunch of them are just using it to either brag about their ripoff conquests or posting offers they either got or are considering and hoping for advice.  Plus there's a lot of context that might not be disclosed - can't tell you how often I comment on a trade only to get a response of "well that league has this this and that which devalue Gurley" - which of course should have been indicated initially and thus doesn't do anything to help establish Gurley's value outside of that league. 

To your point though maybe I'll inquire in my particular leagues - it's possible owners have lowered their expectations on him.  I know last year he was impossible to discuss in my leagues with the NEP/Brady hype involved.

 

[Milkman]

I posted this in another thread but it's relevant here too.  

The Cooks/Goff connection has been great to start camp according to sources on the ground down there. Night and day difference between him and Watkins supposedly. Which doesn't surprise me. Cooks is a buy low right now because a lot of people are factoring in how he's been traded twice in two years. It's making people lower his value to much. 

Three 1000 yard seasons.

He's on what I would consider is the best offense in the league now.

He's not even 25 until a month into the season.

He signed a long term deal where he got paid nicely. He's in their long term plans.  

I'm a buyer right now.