Engel's Offseason Angles: Brandin Cooks and NFL Draft Talk

The big free agency period has passed and we are almost at NFL Draft time. There is no shortage of news and rumors to stay updated on. Bookmarking the RotoBaller NFL Player News feed will ensure you stay informed every day.

But we also wanted to flesh out some more unique perspectives here, especially for those who continually stay abreast of possible changing player values for early Best Ball drafts and dynasty league purposes.

Engel’s Angles breaks down a notable recent trade and goes around the league for some other interesting fantasy football tidbits.

Brandin Cooks Now a Texan

The Texans tried to patch a hole and also save some face by getting Brandin Cooks from the Rams for a second-round draft choice and a future fourth-rounder. The acquisition of Cooks does not make up enough for the very questionable trade of DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona. But it does boost Cooks’ sagging fantasy appeal.

Cooks suffered through his worst season ever in 2019, catching just 42 passes for 583 yards and two TDs as he dealt with injuries while also working as part of a crowded WR corps. He also has a concerning history of concussions, with at least five documented ones that we know of. But in Houston, he has some fantasy WR2 promise as the clear top wideout on the depth chart.

While Houston currently lacks an ideal possession/intermediate WR without Hopkins now, Cooks has caught 78 or more passes in three of the past five seasons. Plus he had four consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns before last year. So he should get a lot of targets from Deshaun Watson, upwards of 110. If Will Fuller can actually stay healthy, that will help Cooks face less double teams. He should certainly be a more consistent prime target over Fuller and Randall Cobb. Kenny Stills is reportedly not considered to be in the picture anymore. Cooks should be considered on the WR2/3 cusp for yearly leagues right now.

The departure of Cooks in Los Angeles could mean that Josh Reynolds has increased value as a fantasy reserve. He caught five TD passes in 2018 and will be an interesting late-round pick for bye week streaming. Tyler Higbee now gets further confirmation as a true top playmaker for Jared Goff after the TE came on strong down the stretch last season, as he had 43 catches and four 100-yard games in his final five outings.

The four best seasons of Brandin Cooks' six-year career so far, via pro football reference. He had 78-plus receptions in three of them and 1,000 yards in all four. 

Draft Rumors Swirling

-The buzz was peaking last week that Miami might go for Justin Herbert over Tua Tagovailoa at No. 5, and that talk now seems to be cooling.  The Dolphins could take a running back with possibly a late first-rounder or early second-rounder. Miami will certainly be expected to fill the QB void that has been apparent since Dan Marino retired. Our RotoBaller Staff NFL mock draft had Jonathan Taylor going to the Dolphins at No. 26. If either Taylor of D’Andre Swift end up in Miami, either one could quickly overshadow Jordan Howard and become viable fantasy picks in the fourth round or possibly even the fifth. Last season, I won my most important league with rookies Josh Jacobs and Miles Sanders at RB. If you opt for WR early in 2020 drafts, first-year RBs can be notable value choices to fill out your starting lineup. As for the QB situation, either rookie could conceivably sit initially behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.

-There seems to be little chance that the Dolphins will be able to trade up to the top spot for Joe Burrow. The Bengals have been in regular contact with him, but also need to address a potential issue at RB. Published reports indicate Joe Mixon is willing to hold out if he does not get a long-term contract extension. As we saw with Melvin Gordon last year, every day we get closer to the season without a new Mixon contract is another day where his fantasy appeal can drop. Burrow certainly needs the star RB to be in the mix for him to operate in a stable offense as a rookie.

-According to the Athletic, many NFL teams cannot agree on whether Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool figures to be a wide receiver or tight end in the NFL. Claypool’s status would seem to lean towards WR, but it may depend on who drafts him. If he is used as a TE by a team that takes him, then we could see some interesting eligibility scenarios in fantasy football. It would be reminiscent of 2006, when some sites listed Marques Colston as a TE even though the Saints intended to use him at WR.

More Names Makin’ Fantasy News

-There has been growing speculation that Jace Sternberger will get the opportunity to be Green Bay’s top TE this season. His rookie year was marred by injuries, but now a path to playing time has been cleared with Jimmy Graham gone. Aaron Rodgers has never been one to feature the TE much in the past, but that was under Mike McCarthy. The Pack could use a viable big target for Rodgers on key passing downs and in the red zone, so Sternberger should be drafted as a mid-range fantasy TE2 with some upside.

-The Jaguars fully intend to stick with Gardner Minshew as their QB, according to NFL insider Peter King. Last year, he showed he could perform well for fantasy purposes at times, such as his three 20-point plus games between Weeks 5 through 8. Jacksonville picks at No. 9 and 20 in the first round, and if the Jags land a prime WR that can only help elevate Minshew’s value as a fantasy QB2 and make him a better selection in two-QB leagues.

Gardner Minshew's 2019 game log snippet from NFL.com. This was the best stretch of his rookie campaign. 

-King also reported that the Chargers seem high internally on Tyrod Taylor, possibly even past this season. Taylor did rush for over 500 yards twice and 14 TD in three seasons in Buffalo, where he worked with Anthony Lynn for two seasons. So he does have some potential as a dual-threat QB. Our RotoBaller NFL Mock Draft had the Chargers going with Jalen Hurts in the third round, and some have even speculated that they could go for a QB as early as sixth overall, especially if Miami lets Tagovailoa slip past them. Taylor’s appeal as a fantasy QB2 will be murky until after the NFL Draft, but it would seem logical that L.A. should take a rookie with more future promise.

-Reports out of Seattle indicate that Brian Schottenheimer wants to move DK Metcalf around more and utilize him in new and different ways. In a record-setting NFC Wild Card performance at Philadelphia, Metcalf finally started winning contested catches frequently, a major step forward for him in his pro development. He may be the best second-year WR in fantasy football in 2020 and has serious WR2 potential.

Schottenheimer also expressed optimism on Chris Carson (hip) and Rashaad Penny (ACL) returning for the 2020 season. Carson is more likely to be ready for the opener than Penny. But it is apparent that the Seahawks need quality RB depth and cannot count on either Carson or Penny to stay healthy. In our RotoBaller NFL Mock Draft, acting as the draft representative for the Seahawks, I selected A.J. Dillon in the third round. Be well aware if and who the Seahawks take at RB for fantasy depth purposes.

-Some of you were hoping that Tom Brady could awaken the sleeping giant O.J. Howard in Tampa Bay. But the return of Rob Gronkowski now makes it clear that Tampa Bay is willing to move on from Howard. A change of scenery can certainly help him resurrect his career, which is still in early stages. A player with Howard's levels of talent will continue to get chances to make his mark, much like Jared Cook, who did not emerge as a true fantasy starter until later in his career.

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