Omar Cooper Jr. was a first-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft. He joins a New York Jets receiver room with an established No. 1 and an unsettled depth chart behind him. His draft price sits well below where first-round receivers typically go. Should fantasy managers take a shot on Cooper in 2026?
Should I Draft Omar Cooper Jr. in Fantasy Football?
Let me start with the prospect, because I do not believe Cooper should have been a Round 1 pick. His draft capital strikes me as a product of a weak wide receiver class rather than a reflection of his actual ability. Teams have to take receivers early every year, and in a thin class, someone always gets pushed up the board beyond where the prospect profile justifies.
The profile underneath is the problem. Cooper is a four-year receiver who did not produce until his senior season. That is always a risky bet to make.
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The landing spot does not help either. Perhaps it works out for him long term, but we are looking solely at 2026 here, though, and the near-term picture is cloudy at best.
Yes, the Jets have an opening at WR2. But Garrett Wilson is the unquestioned alpha in that offense, and there is no chance Cooper threatens him for that role. What Cooper is actually competing for is secondary targets in a Geno Smith offense, which is a far less appealing proposition than the depth chart vacancy makes it sound.
The competition for those looks is legitimate as well. Adonai Mitchell appears locked into the WR2 job for the moment, and he flashed some genuinely impressive moments last season after arriving from the Colts. Fellow first-round rookie Kenyon Sadiq is in the mix too, and I consider him the better prospect of the two despite playing tight end. Both of those players stand between Cooper and any meaningful target share.
Then there is the camp news, which concerns me more than anything else. The latest reports indicate Isaiah Williams has been outperforming Cooper and currently sits ahead of him for WR3 duties. Isaiah Williams? Really? I understand that rookies improve as they grow more comfortable with an NFL playbook, and camp reports in August are not gospel. It is still not a good sign that Cooper and Williams are being mentioned in the same breath at all.
Add it all together and here is what we have. An overrated prospect, in a less than ideal situation, on a run-first offense that projects among the lowest scoring in the league, currently losing a camp battle he had every reason to win.
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Cooper is my WR77 against a WR67 ADP. First-round picks typically are not available this cheap in fantasy drafts, and that discount alone will tempt plenty of managers into taking the shot. In this case, he is cheap for a reason.
Count me out.
Katz’s WR Fantasy Rankings 2026
- Ja’Marr Chase | CIN
- Puka Nacua | LAR
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA
- Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET
- CeeDee Lamb | DAL
- Justin Jefferson | MIN
- Drake London | ATL
- Malik Nabers | NYG
- Nico Collins | HOU
- A.J. Brown | NE
- Chris Olave | NO
- George Pickens | DAL
- DeVonta Smith | PHI
- Zay Flowers | BAL
- Jaylen Waddle | DEN
- Tee Higgins | CIN
- Rashee Rice | KC
- Terry McLaurin | WAS
- Ladd McConkey | LAC
- Emeka Egbuka | TB
- Luther Burden III | CHI
- Tetairoa McMillan | CAR
- Garrett Wilson | NYJ
- Jameson Williams | DET
- Christian Watson | GB
- Parker Washington | JAX
- Rome Odunze | CHI
- Carnell Tate | TEN
- Davante Adams | LAR
- Mike Evans | SF
- Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI
- DJ Moore | BUF
- Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX
- Chris Godwin Jr. | TB
- Stefon Diggs | WAS
- Michael Pittman Jr. | PIT
- Quentin Johnston | LAC
- Josh Downs | IND
- Wan’Dale Robinson | TEN
- Jayden Reed | GB
- DK Metcalf | PIT
- Jordan Addison | MIN
- Courtland Sutton | DEN
- Jakobi Meyers | JAX
- Makai Lemon | PHI
- Xavier Worthy | KC
- Michael Wilson | ARI
- KC Concepcion | CLE
- Romeo Doubs | NE
- Jalen Coker | CAR
