Where to Rank Brandin Cooks

[Matt Mueller 146]

More to do with the Saints not being a good road team.

 

Look at Brees numbers.

 

2015 on the road he had 2017 yards passing and 9 tds, and in 2016 he had 2440 passing yards with 17 tds.

 

2015 at home he had 2861 yard and 22 tds, in 2016 he had 2767 yard and 20 tds.

 

I'm sure that has a lot to do with Cooks road and home numbers.

 

 

^ That's certainly possible. Much has been made of Brees and Ben's recent road splits.

Michael Thomas 2016 Split Stats

Home

47-588-4

Away

45-579-5

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

 

 

^ That's certainly possible. Much has been made of Brees and Ben's recent road splits.

Michael Thomas 2016 Split Stats

Home

47-588-4

Away

45-579-5

 

That's the only consistent stat line the Saints have in their splits.

[Matt Mueller 146]

 

That's the only consistent stat line the Saints have in their splits.

 

2016 Willie Snead Split Stats

 

Home 33-419-3

 

Away 39-476-1

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

 

2016 Willie Snead Split Stats

 

Home 33-419-3

 

Away 39-476-1

 

Really? I didn't know that. I never really paid attention to Snead. Interesting....

[Ray_T 587]

 

2016 Willie Snead Split Stats

 

Home 33-419-3

 

Away 39-476-1

consistent performance for a guy who is the #3 or #4 option(am I being generous here?) in the offense does not mean much.

 

you want that consistency from your QB and your top 2-3 options in the offense

 

if you dont have it, it becomes a problem for the team.

[cousinal111 57]

 

That's the only consistent stat line the Saints have in their splits.

Mark Ingram

 

Home - 96 carries, 18 catches, 635 yards, 5 TD's

 

Away - 109 carries, 28 catches, 727 yards, 5 TD's

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

consistent performance for a guy who is the #3 or #4 option(am I being generous here?) in the offense does not mean much.

 

you want that consistency from your QB and your top 2-3 options in the offense

 

if you dont have it, it becomes a problem for the team.

 

I don't think that was his point. I said that Thomas was the only one who was consistent. He showed me someone else who was. He didn't make any statements, just posted the numbers.

[Ray_T 587]

 

I don't think that was his point. I said that Thomas was the only one who was consistent. He showed me someone else who was. He didn't make any statements, just posted the numbers.

and I'm saying those arent the key cogs in the offense. so to me it means very little.

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

and I'm saying those arent the key cogs in the offense. so to me it means very little.

 

I dove into Brees' numbers a bit more. While he was still generally good, aside from like 1 or 2 seasons, Brees has definitely been a lot worse on the road compared to home games. That said, I don't think many QB's (ever), are much different.

[IGotWorms 3,297]

Belichick's been salivating over this guy for years and is no dummy. Plus what the Pats invested in Cooks. He will be a very big part of the offense

[Matt Mueller 146]

Belichick's been salivating over this guy for years and is no dummy. Plus what the Pats invested in Cooks. He will be a very big part of the offense

 

His WR talent evaluation track record is flawless too. Edelman may be his only hit from the past decade and he was drafted as a QB.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/2h994g/wrs_drafted_by_bill_belichick_since_2003/?st=j513lo55&sh=9a09e25f

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

 

His WR talent evaluation track record is flawless too. Edelman may be his only hit from the past decade and he was drafted as a QB.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/2h994g/wrs_drafted_by_bill_belichick_since_2003/?st=j513lo55&sh=9a09e25f

 

He was a QB at Kent St, but the Patriots drafted him as a WR.

 

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nwe/2009_draft.htm

 

 

According to Edleman, Belichick didn't even know what position he'll play him in.

http://blog.masslive.com/patriots/2015/04/julian_edelman_says_bill_belic.html

 

"Eeeeeeedelman, I don't know what we're going to do with you, but you're a hell of a football player."

[Matt Mueller 146]

I'd love to see some stats on first year free agent WRs joining new teams and their stat lines compared to the previous years.

 

Obviously Moss was a huge hit so we have a very real comp but more often than not, there is regression.

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

I'd love to see some stats on first year free agent WRs joining new teams and their stat lines compared to the previous years.

 

Obviously Moss was a huge hit so we have a very real comp but more often than not, there is regression.

 

If you remember, he was bust in Oakland before he went to New England.

[cousinal111 57]

 

If you remember, he was bust in Oakland before he went to New England.

Oakland was a mess with Moss & he basically quit caring while there IIRC.

[Ray_T 587]

 

I dove into Brees' numbers a bit more. While he was still generally good, aside from like 1 or 2 seasons, Brees has definitely been a lot worse on the road compared to home games. That said, I don't think many QB's (ever), are much different.

not surprising.

 

There are a lot of players out there who perform better at home than they do on the road.

 

and in a loud stadium there is always the risk that someone wont be able to hear the snap count or the audible.

 

some players/teams deal with this better than others.

 

There is a reason why teams perform better at home overall.

[Brutal Brutus 182]

 

If you remember, he was bust in Oakland before he went to New England.

 

Comparing Cooks to a 6'4", HOF, who may have been the most gifted to ever play the position, is apples to oranges in my opinion.

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

 

Comparing Cooks to a 6'4", HOF, who may have been the most gifted to ever play the position, is apples to oranges in my opinion.

 

I wasn't comparing them.

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

I'd love to see some stats on first year free agent WRs joining new teams and their stat lines compared to the previous years.

 

Obviously Moss was a huge hit so we have a very real comp but more often than not, there is regression.

 

Recently....

Vincent Jackson had a good year in Tampa

Maclin was good in Kansas City.

Garcon got hurt in his first year in Washington, but he was on pace to at least replicate his prior years numbers.

DeSean Jackson had a good year in his first year in Washington as well.

Crabtree was better in Oakland than in SF.

 

 

Just going to add this in here. The following is what I think, not what I know. The current game that the NFL has become leads me to believe that QB's and WR's now have a much easier time transitioning into the league and being more productive more quickly.

[Kent 228]

Make of this what you will.

 

2015 Home Stats

 

44 638 6 (13 20+ yard catches) Average Per Catch 14.5

 

2015 Away Stats

 

40 500 3 (5 20+ yard catches) Average Per Catch 12.5

 

 

2016 Home Stats

 

34 642 5 (10 20+ yard catches) Average Per Catch 18.9

 

2016 Away Stats

 

44 531 3 (5 20+ yard catches) Average Per Catch 12.1

 

 

 

The Saints road games were in Atlanta, Tampa and Carolina.

 

The Pats play in Foxboro and travel to Buffalo, NY and Miami.

Brady doesn't seem to struggle on the road. So Cooks could be an even bigger steal.

[IGotWorms 3,297]

 

His WR talent evaluation track record is flawless too. Edelman may be his only hit from the past decade and he was drafted as a QB.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/2h994g/wrs_drafted_by_bill_belichick_since_2003/?st=j513lo55&sh=9a09e25f

He sucks at drafting them but has been pretty good at bringing in veterans. Unless they're totally washed up like Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne

[Mr Neil 63]

I think people overlook that the Pats and Hoodie rarely ever incorporate the same game plan week in and week out. So Cooks will have a couple dud games in there but I still think he has a good year. I think Pats are gonna start phasing out Gronk a bit due to his injury history and his offseason antics and become more of a 3 WR based set offense this year with Edelman Cooks and Hogan being the emphasized targets

[Matt Mueller 146]

I think people overlook that the Pats and Hoodie rarely ever incorporate the same game plan week in and week out. So Cooks will have a couple dud games in there but I still think he has a good year. I think Pats are gonna start phasing out Gronk a bit due to his injury history and his offseason antics and become more of a 3 WR based set offense this year with Edelman Cooks and Hogan being the emphasized targets

 

I'm probably the biggest MM fanboy there is but I could see Cooks and Hogan sharing more the deep clearout role or Cooks Edelman sharing more the slot role.

 

I actually think Mitchell is the best outside possession receiver on the team and brings something different than the other players.

[Matt Mueller 146]

Evan Silvas take from his Pats outlook. Some good stats

 

Brandin Cooks is one of this year’s hottest-button fantasy players entering an explosive but already-loaded offense missing only 87 passing-game targets from last year, 84% of which came from Martellus Bennett and will be soaked up by Gronk. Although 4.33 speedster Cooks’ historical indoor-outdoor splits can be traced to simply playing with Superdome-dominant Drew Brees, it’s at least worth mentioning that Cooks has averaged 72.2 career receiving yards per game in domes but only 57.8 yards outdoors. Cooks has scored 17 TDs in 30 career indoor games versus 4 TDs in a 12-game sample outside. Moving from New Orleans to Foxboro, Cooks goes from an extremely pass-oriented offense where he was consistently the No. 1/2 option to a more balanced attack wherein Cooks figures to lose volume battling Gronk, Edelman, and a deep backfield for touches. While big moments are inevitable, I think it’s fair to wonder if Cooks might become a better reality than fantasy player with the Patriots, at least initially. A very difficult player to project for 2017, I personally intend to approach Cooks as a best-ball and DFS tournament option whose unknown weekly consistency makes him less of a re-draft target. The crowd is much more bullish on Cooks than I am, pegging him with WR12 (FF Calc) and WR13 (MFL10s) July ADPs.

[weepaws 2,451]

Nice article.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

Evan Silvas take from his Pats outlook. Some good stats

 

Brandin Cooks is one of this years hottest-button fantasy players entering an explosive but already-loaded offense missing only 87 passing-game targets from last year, 84% of which came from Martellus Bennett and will be soaked up by Gronk. Although 4.33 speedster Cooks historical indoor-outdoor splits can be traced to simply playing with Superdome-dominant Drew Brees, its at least worth mentioning that Cooks has averaged 72.2 career receiving yards per game in domes but only 57.8 yards outdoors. Cooks has scored 17 TDs in 30 career indoor games versus 4 TDs in a 12-game sample outside. Moving from New Orleans to Foxboro, Cooks goes from an extremely pass-oriented offense where he was consistently the No. 1/2 option to a more balanced attack wherein Cooks figures to lose volume battling Gronk, Edelman, and a deep backfield for touches. While big moments are inevitable, I think its fair to wonder if Cooks might become a better reality than fantasy player with the Patriots, at least initially. A very difficult player to project for 2017, I personally intend to approach Cooks as a best-ball and DFS tournament option whose unknown weekly consistency makes him less of a re-draft target. The crowd is much more bullish on Cooks than I am, pegging him with WR12 (FF Calc) and WR13 (MFL10s) July ADPs.

I hope everyone in my leagues reads this article and bases their Cooks rankings off of it

[Kent 228]

I pay zero heed to the outdoor concerns being posed. Every single outdoor game he has played in the NFL has also been a road game. Aren't most players in the league a little worse on the road?

 

Cooks has elite talent. Do the other WRs? Brady is going to love Cooks. When that happens good things happen.

[delchay 6]

You just described the WR position in general though. .

I think being on New England in general means you will have one big week and vanish the next. Now, if Gronk goes down again I see Cooks putting up some big sco ring numbers. But only in that scenario.

[Kent 228]

I think being on New England in general means you will have one big week and vanish the next. Now, if Gronk goes down again I see Cooks putting up some big sco ring numbers. But only in that scenario.

Gronk goes down pretty much every year.

[TBayXXXVII 2,105]

Gronk goes down pretty much every year.

 

Yeah, aside from death and taxes, the only other guarantee is that both Gronk will get hurt. It's not "IF" with him, it's "when".

[Phil Simms 11 127]

I will draft Cooks if he slides into high WR2 territory, like I did last year.

 

I do not see him having much different stats from recent years.

[Kent 228]

I will draft Cooks if he slides into high WR2 territory, like I did last year.

 

I do not see him having much different stats from recent years.

That's highly unlikely this year. I'd love to get him as my number 2 though.

[weepaws 2,451]

Last year he was a low Wr1 in ppr, and the season before he was a high wr2.

 

So I'm thinking about the same thing.

 

It's hard to take him as a wr1 because of the system the Patriots run.

 

He's going to have some games where he might not be visible.

 

But I think when you indeed look at his number from last season he should post about the same.

 

Which once again should make him a low wr1.