Many fantasy football managers were quick to write off Brandin Cooks in 2023, as he started his tenure with his fifth different NFL team in 10 years. Yet, his production during his first year with the Dallas Cowboys proved the veteran WR still had something left in the tank.
After an offseason where Dallas did very little to add target competition to the roster for the upcoming season, what can fantasy managers expect from Cooks in 2024?
Brandin Cooks’ 2024 Fantasy Forecast
Cooks’ 2023 production of 54 receptions for 657 yards and eight touchdowns may be a far cry from his top-15 fantasy seasons during his time with the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots to start his NFL career.
However, the veteran still proved to be an effective and reliable fantasy contributor in a complementary role, finishing as the WR38 in full-PPR formats last year.
I mentioned Cooks’ complementary role last year because one could legitimately argue that the veteran wideout was the third option in Dallas’ passing offense behind CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson in 2023.
Cowboys 2023 Target Distribution
- CeeDee Lamb: 181 targets
- Jake Ferguson: 102
- Brandin Cooks: 81
Is this necessarily a death sentence for Cooks’ fantasy value? He saw 11 fewer red-zone targets than Ferguson last year but still finished with three more touchdowns than the heavily involved tight end.
Cooks still proved to be a productive deep threat in his advanced years with an average depth of target at 13.2 — which ranked 21st amongst qualified wide receivers.
Yet, Cooks’ YAC production (125 yards), yards per route run (1.3), and yards per target (8.1) all ranked out of the top 45 at the position. This suggests his eight TDs — which was the second-highest mark of his career — were doing much of the heavy lifting for Cooks’ fantasy production.
If Dak Prescott plays at the same MVP-caliber level in 2024, then it’s reasonable to expect Cooks to have an outside shot as a top-30 fantasy WR this year if his role expands in his second season with Dallas.
Yet, if the Cowboys’ offense, Prescott, or Cooks’ level of play takes a step back this upcoming season, then it could be hard for the veteran receiver to deliver a top-40 WR finish in 2024.
Cooks’ ADP of No. 142 overall as the WR58 in the 12th round suggests he’s still flying under the radar heading into the 2024 season. For some additional context, Cooks is being drafted after Rashid Shaheed, Khalil Shakir, and Mike Williams.
Personally, the Williams selection doesn’t make very much sense to me, but this likely has to do more with my personal concerns about the unknown target distribution for a veteran receiver coming off a major knee injury.
Without trying to focus too much on one player being selected around Cooks, the latter’s current draft price does feel a bit low, considering the role and production we saw from him last year in this productive Cowboys offense. There’s a legitimate shot for Cooks to top 100 targets as either the second or third option in Dallas.
I don’t believe the veteran wideout is cooked quite yet, no pun intended. Yet, his age feels like it could be coming into play sooner than later.
Ultimately, you’re drafting Cooks at this price point more for his fantasy floor than his fantasy upside in 2024. For that reason alone, Cooks is worth a pick in the 10th round as a WR4/Flex option for your team in PPR formats this upcoming season.
