Brandin Cooks Fantasy Football Outlook 2022 (Another 1,000-Yard Season in Reach in Houston)

Brandin Cooks has proven over the last two seasons that a wide receiver can thrive even when stuck on one of the NFL's worst offenses. The Houston Texans' standout has logged back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and his efforts in 2021 led to a No. 20 WR finish in PPR-scoring fantasy football leagues.

With that being the case, it's no surprise to see Cooks on the cusp of WR2 territory in fantasy football rankings once again. His average draft position (ADP) has him going as the 24th wide receiver off the board and as a late fifth-round to early sixth-round selection.

Brandin Cooks Fantasy Football Outlook

Fantasy managers are never going to be super excited to draft someone from a team that averaged a league-low 278.1 yards of offense per game the year prior. Cooks' reliability makes him stick out here, though. The 28-year-old's last two seasons have been a model of consistency considering he has posted at least 81 receptions, 1,037 yards and 6 touchdowns in each one. Cooks has finished as a top 20 WR in fantasy football in six of his last seven seasons. That is not an easy task to accomplish.

The one benefit to playing on a team that is down on the scoreboard more often than not is that there's usually no time to set up a rushing attack. Passing the ball is the only way to get back into the game. Cooks took advantage of that fact by ranking fourth in the NFL in air yards share (36%) and ninth in target share (24%). His chemistry with quarterback Davis Mills only grew as the regular season went on. Over the final five weeks, Cooks logged 295 yards and 3 touchdowns on 25 receptions and finished as the No. 13 WR in fantasy football during that span.

Mills has now had a full offseason learning the ropes as Houston's unquestioned starting quarterback. He connected with Cooks 71% of the time he threw his way in 2021 and truly has little reason not to go to him as often as possible this time around. Another WR2 finish is in reach.

Brandin Cooks Projections

Projections from the NFL odds on FanDuel Sportsbook expect Cooks to finish in the middle of the pack. He's 22nd to lead the NFL in receiving yards (+4000), which is exactly where he finished during the 2021 season with 1,037 yards. He's also 24th to lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns (+5000). That's obviously going to be a much harder title to take home considering Cooks hasn't posted more than 7 touchdowns in one campaign since 2016. When taking Cooks' averages with the Houston Texans into account (5.5 receptions per game, 12.8-yard average), it's a safe bet to say another 1,000-yard season is attainable if he stays healthy.

Is Brandin Cooks a Good Fantasy Football Pick?

When it comes down to it, is Cooks someone to target in the middle rounds? Definitely. He's done nothing but produce at his ADP over the last two years. He's the No. 21 wide receiver inThe Duel's PPR fantasy football rankings, and is a perfect target when searching for a WR2.

Cooks is not going to be a league-winning type of player as long as he is on the Texans' roster, but he's someone fantasy managers can slide into a WR2 slot without hesitation. Heck, Cooks averages 14.2 PPR points per game since 2015. That's nothing to scoff at.

If you've drafted Cooks this year, or you're a Texans fan, make sure to check out the best Houstons Texans fantasy football team names for your squad.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.