While plenty of NFL trades seem to materialize over a long period of time, Amari Cooper’s move from the Cleveland Browns to the Buffalo Bills seems to have come more or less out of nowhere. After the surprise move, should we expect Cooper to be ready to go this weekend against the Tennessee Titans?
The Latest on Amari Cooper
During his Friday news conference, Bills head coach Sean McDermott said he expects Cooper to play on Sunday.
The trade for Cooper was made official early on Tuesday, which gives him plenty of time to get to Buffalo and prepare for the weekend. It’s a home game for the Bills, which might make the logistics much easier for Cooper as he looks to settle into his new home.
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Five days is a pretty short timeline to develop chemistry with a quarterback and learn a new offense, but we’ve certainly seen players pull it off.
That’s not to say he’ll be his most prolific self right away. Cooper could learn a pared-down version of Joe Brady’s Buffalo offense, preparing him for a limited role in short order. However, don’t expect him to immediately serve as the top wideout he’s poised to eventually be for Buffalo.
Cooper’s Fantasy Outlook
Buffalo’s offense is in desperate need of a top wide receiver. Khalil Shakir has done a pretty good job thus far, but quarterback Josh Allen’s MVP-level play has largely gone to waste thus far with former top option Stefon Diggs now in Houston.
Many moves are nuanced in terms of fantasy football impact, but this one isn’t. Cooper is moving into a more pass-friendly system with a better quarterback and no true competition for a top-end target share.
MORE: Everything You Need To Know About the Amari Cooper Trade
All of this goes to say that Cooper’s fantasy value is only going in one direction. He goes from a fringe starting option to a must-have player and a very valuable trade piece going forward.
It’s certainly worth restating that he might not be particularly prolific against the Titans this weekend, so his big fantasy contributions may have to wait. Still, don’t let a relatively quiet performance this weekend discourage you, as Cooper should be a tremendous beneficiary of Allen’s outstanding play to start the year.
After the Titans, the Bills will face the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, and Indianapolis Colts, giving Cooper plenty of opportunity to get comfortable in the offense and put up some numbers ahead of a tremendous matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.
From that point on, things get pretty tough for Buffalo. That might not be a bad thing from a fantasy standpoint, as throughout Allen’s career, this team has often found a way to get into shootouts against top competition.
Cooper should be a great fit in Buffalo. Allen has managed to limit turnovers while actually increasing his average depth of target from a year ago. His mark of 9.2 yards is closer to his career standard than the diminished number of 8.6 we saw a year ago. He should be able to link up with Cooper all across the field, as the wideout is one of the more well-rounded route runners in the league.