jaxjag 43 Posted March 14, 2017 I was just thinking out loud when I wrote that, so I have no issue acknowledging that it could be eventually proved false. We're all just speculating here because of the unknown. I didn't have him last year but I have in the past, and when I did, he was not an every week starter for me. And it all depends on where he's being drafted if we're looking at more consistent week to week starters. If he's being drafted in the 3rd rd as a backend WR1, I do think you can find safer picks; maybe not the upside, but more consistent. If we're talking in the 4/5 rd as a WR2, then I'd be very content with that value. Fair? I tend to play in keeper/dynasty formats so I really don't think about redraft scenarios. I think consistency is more elusive than you think. Check out Julio Jones' game logs. His 12 reception, 300 yard game was sandwiched between a 1 for 16 and 2 for 29. Cooks finished as the 10th WR in our scoring system. Can't sit him. What will 2017 bring? Don't know. All we can do is speculate. Cooks could wash out in NE - their offense is complicated and demanding. He could also blossom. I never under estimate BB or think I can predict him. I think he is constantly evolving. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TD Ryan2 314 Posted March 15, 2017 The need for a deep target to stretch the field has been missing in NE since Moss left. NEs playmakers are all short/mid target guys. Hogan helped stretch the field but Cooks will help even more. He makes it easier for all the short/mid targets to get open. It's pretty straight forward really. NE and NO have spent a lot of time together the past few years in pre season joint practices. BB is probably well aware of what he's getting with Cooks after seeing him so closely and frequently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marshall 98 Posted March 15, 2017 NE and NO have spent a lot of time together the past few years in pre season joint practices. BB is probably well aware of what he's getting with Cooks after seeing him so closely and frequently. That's exactly what it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TBayXXXVII 2,107 Posted March 15, 2017 The need for a deep target to stretch the field has been missing in NE since Moss left. NEs playmakers are all short/mid target guys. Hogan helped stretch the field but Cooks will help even more. He makes it easier for all the short/mid targets to get open. It's pretty straight forward really. NE and NO have spent a lot of time together the past few years in pre season joint practices. BB is probably well aware of what he's getting with Cooks after seeing him so closely and frequently. This is my thinking as well. You don't trade a 1st and 3rd round pick for a decoy... you trade those picks for a guy who you expect to not only help the rest of your offense, but to catch 80-90+ balls per year. I think the expectation of Cooks becoming a more productive (consistent really), fantasy asset is very reasonable and to me, the odds on favorite. I think Cooks is a late first round/early second round pick. I put him just after Brown, Jones, Evans, and Beckham among WR's heading into next season. I think 90 receptions, 1300 yards, and 12 TD's is very attainable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TD Ryan2 314 Posted March 15, 2017 This is my thinking as well. You don't trade a 1st and 3rd round pick for a decoy... you trade those picks for a guy who you expect to not only help the rest of your offense, but to catch 80-90+ balls per year. I think the expectation of Cooks becoming a more productive (consistent really), fantasy asset is very reasonable Not sure I agree with 80+ catches and consistency, lemme' splain... and keep in mind, I said this about Moss (and was wrong) NE changes up their look/approach/game plan every week... 5 wide, 2 TE, Power running, Short passing, hurry up, slow it down... the deep option is there as an option... with Hogan, a viable option... with Cooks, a deadly option... but only *IF* the defense gives it up... but if the defense is in dime - deep safety all game, NE will short pass or run them to death and Cooks will keep running deep routes essentially as a "decoy",,, NE isn't going to force the ball to anyone no matter how much they make or how high they were drafted. To me, this means Cooks will be a BOOM / BUST fantasy option. He could have some HUGE weeks but other's will be very quiet -all dependent on the defense NE faces and the weekly gameplan they use. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weepaws 2,452 Posted March 15, 2017 I think you can say that about most WRs. It depends on what a bust week is. I know that in my ppr leagues I like for my WRs to reach 15 plus points per week. Last season when you look at the weekly scoring of the top six Wr, they had a total of 33 times when they failed to reach 15 plus points. That's about fives times per player. I see Cooks in the Hilton type mold. Hilton finshed fifth in points in ppr , but he still had 8 weeks that he scored less than 15 points. So I think Cooks can duplicate those type of numbers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TBayXXXVII 2,107 Posted March 15, 2017 Not sure I agree with 80+ catches and consistency, lemme' splain... and keep in mind, I said this about Moss (and was wrong) NE changes up their look/approach/game plan every week... 5 wide, 2 TE, Power running, Short passing, hurry up, slow it down... the deep option is there as an option... with Hogan, a viable option... with Cooks, a deadly option... but only *IF* the defense gives it up... but if the defense is in dime - deep safety all game, NE will short pass or run them to death and Cooks will keep running deep routes essentially as a "decoy",,, NE isn't going to force the ball to anyone no matter how much they make or how high they were drafted. To me, this means Cooks will be a BOOM / BUST fantasy option. He could have some HUGE weeks but other's will be very quiet -all dependent on the defense NE faces and the weekly gameplan they use. Per 16 games, Cooks averages about 82 receptions, so I'm comfortable in an 80+ even as high as 90+ projection. By "more consistent", I mean that the 4 games of under 7 points and 3 games over 30 will be more like 4 games in the 10-12 point range and 3 games in the 25-28 point range, with a majority still being in the 15-20 point range. Yes, they throw a lot of underneath passes and need someone to stretch the field, we saw last year how much they were missing that when the won the Super Bowl. (yes, that was sarcasm). I think they will most certainly use him in that deep ball format, but because he's a better route runner and pass catcher than Hogan, I think he'll steal some of Hogan's routes and playing time to round out a more consistent season. I think Boom/Bust is the one thing I feel comfortable is saying will not happen with Cooks. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TD Ryan2 314 Posted March 15, 2017 TBay - all good points. As a Pats fan, I hope you are right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TBayXXXVII 2,107 Posted March 16, 2017 TBay - all good points. As a Pats fan, I hope you are right. Just the way I'm approaching the situation. We'll see how it turns out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
