Brandin Cooks - What's Not To Love?

[StableOfRBs]

Thomas had the 7th best catch rate in tight coverage (less than a yard of separation) and 7th among WR1s in yard of separation per target so I'm pretty confident he can handle some double coverage (which he was getting a pretty good amount of last year)

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... more-slump
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... t-coverage

Serious question - what does this have to do with the correlation of him being able to be the WR1 for the team?
I seriously do not see what this has to do with it.

Don't get me wrong - I really like Michael Thomas as well. However, this does not at all prove he can be a WR1 for a team.

I mean - do we think Anquan Boldin would be a top tier WR1 for the Lions if he was thrust into the position?

This is WR1 as in top target on the team not WR1 as in top 12 WR in fantasy, it's showing that Thomas can handle the kind of tight coverage the number one target on a team generally sees (as he did last year) and still produce, as opposed to being just a WR2 talent

WR1's on NFL teams routinely face tight coverage because they're WR1's on NFL teams, Michael Thomas was the WR1 for the Saints last year and as such, routinely faced tight coverage, he did well against said tight coverage

^that's what it has to do with him being able to be the WR1 for the team

[nathanq42]

What do you mean wr1 as in top target? Like the writer of the article called drew brees and asked who was the first read for every play? Whoever got the most targets in a game? In the season? By trying to follow brees' eyes to guess the first read?

[lukkynumber13]

All this crap about him seeing fewer targets in NE just blows my mind. He left NO because he wanted more targets.

He left NOLA because he was traded. Not saying he's mad about being in Foxburough, but he didn't leave in FA...

[StableOfRBs]

What do you mean wr1 as in top target? Like the writer of the article called drew brees and asked who was the first read for every play? Whoever got the most targets in a game? In the season? By trying to follow brees' eyes to guess the first read?

Thomas had 121 targets last year
Cooks had 117

Thomas had the most targets on the team, it was just used as a way of separating the rankings into groups so that they could compare like players, Thomas was compared to other players who led their teams in targets by how much separation each of them had per target, for example AB had 2.92 yards of separation per target on the season, Thomas had 2.38

[nathanq42]

What do you mean wr1 as in top target? Like the writer of the article called drew brees and asked who was the first read for every play? Whoever got the most targets in a game? In the season? By trying to follow brees' eyes to guess the first read?

Thomas had 121 targets last year
Cooks had 117

Thomas had the most targets on the team, it was just used as a way of separating the rankings into groups so that they could compare like players, Thomas was compared to other players who led their teams in targets by how much separation each of them had per target, for example AB had 2.92 yards of separation per target on the season, Thomas had 2.38

Not going to lie, I'm not a fan of using a stat that is so simple to decide who is a teams "WR1" especially when drew brees completed passes to like 17 different guys or something crazy like that. We will see how Thomas and Snead do without cooks absorbing all of the coverage. I dont think they will do as well compared to how they did with cooks there.

[StableOfRBs]

What do you mean wr1 as in top target? Like the writer of the article called drew brees and asked who was the first read for every play? Whoever got the most targets in a game? In the season? By trying to follow brees' eyes to guess the first read?

Thomas had 121 targets last year
Cooks had 117

Thomas had the most targets on the team, it was just used as a way of separating the rankings into groups so that they could compare like players, Thomas was compared to other players who led their teams in targets by how much separation each of them had per target, for example AB had 2.92 yards of separation per target on the season, Thomas had 2.38

Not going to lie, I'm not a fan of using a stat that is so simple to decide who is a teams "WR1" especially when drew brees completed passes to like 17 different guys or something crazy like that. We will see how Thomas and Snead do without cooks absorbing all of the coverage. I dont think they will do as well compared to how they did with cooks there.

Well he also led the team in catches, yards, and TDs, honestly I think Thomas could push for 100-110 catches this year and like 1300 yards and 8-10 TDs

[Phaded]

Michael Thomas did not lead the Saints in receiving yards.

[StableOfRBs]

Michael Thomas did not lead the Saints in receiving yards.

lol oops, Cooks had 1173 and Thomas had 1137, switched them in my head, oh well

[nathanq42]

Thomas had 121 targets last year
Cooks had 117

Thomas had the most targets on the team, it was just used as a way of separating the rankings into groups so that they could compare like players, Thomas was compared to other players who led their teams in targets by how much separation each of them had per target, for example AB had 2.92 yards of separation per target on the season, Thomas had 2.38

Not going to lie, I'm not a fan of using a stat that is so simple to decide who is a teams "WR1" especially when drew brees completed passes to like 17 different guys or something crazy like that. We will see how Thomas and Snead do without cooks absorbing all of the coverage. I dont think they will do as well compared to how they did with cooks there.

Well he also led the team in catches, yards, and TDs, honestly I think Thomas could push for 100-110 catches this year and like 1300 yards and 8-10 TDs

Because Thomas got a lot of high percentage chain moving routes (and catches) cooks almost exclusively ran deep routes which are much lower percentage plays. And cooks is much more than just a burner too. And I'd wager if cooks got to play against Thomas's coverage he would have feasted, and of Thomas got cooks' coverage wr wouldn't be having this conversation.

[Phaded]

Michael Thomas did not lead the Saints in receiving yards.

lol oops, Cooks had 1173 and Thomas had 1137, switched them in my head, oh well

Dyslexia gets us all sometimes.

[StableOfRBs]

Not going to lie, I'm not a fan of using a stat that is so simple to decide who is a teams "WR1" especially when drew brees completed passes to like 17 different guys or something crazy like that. We will see how Thomas and Snead do without cooks absorbing all of the coverage. I dont think they will do as well compared to how they did with cooks there.

Well he also led the team in catches, yards, and TDs, honestly I think Thomas could push for 100-110 catches this year and like 1300 yards and 8-10 TDs

Because Thomas got a lot of high percentage chain moving routes (and catches) cooks almost exclusively ran deep routes which are much lower percentage plays. And cooks is much more than just a burner too. And I'd wager if cooks got to play against Thomas's coverage he would have feasted, and of Thomas got cooks' coverage wr wouldn't be having this conversation.

well I guess we'll never know, cant wait to see Thomas eat this year though

[TurtleBK]

I think Cooks is in for a few down years. This feels like a Patriots team doing everything in its power to win one last title. They traded away basically their whole draft for vets. That tells me to not trust Brady/Belicheck past this year. Brady's arm strength has been falling off for years and I think that will limit his ability to take advantage of Cooks' ability to take the top of a defense. He's never gonna be that jump ball receiver. That being said, Cooks will also benefit from target volume from these same problems. Cooks can probably fetch 1.1 on his own in most leagues. I don't like his chances to score touchdowns and I certainly don't like the Patriots as a spot after this year, if that.

You probably have not watched much Cooks film if you think he has a problem with jump balls. Not saying QBs should target him like he's a TE, but he makes his fair share of plays on jump balls. Way more than you would expect from an undersized receiver. Nasty vert, nasty hands, and highly intelligent and instinctive positioning for the football.

More importantly, unlike many in the fantasy community, watching both Garoppolo and Brissett look more than adequate in Belichik's offense has me less impressed with those QBs individually and more impressed with the quality of Belichik and staff's ability to simply expose any defense and run the offense to the strength of its players. I love Cooks in NE, and am a lot more worried if Belichik retires than if Tom Brady retires. And Cooks can get open underneath. He doesn't need Brady to throw 50 yards to have a 75 yard TD. Brady can get him the ball. I think the ?28 point comeback in the Superbowl should alleviate any criticism of Brady as he is playing now. And despite being a vet, Cooks is still younger than many WRs in this draft class that we will take with rookie picks, so it's not like their team is a bunch of aging geezers ready to fall apart and turn into the Rams. Hell, I would still like Cooks on the Rams. Kid is a freaking stud player.

[StableOfRBs]

I think Cooks is in for a few down years. This feels like a Patriots team doing everything in its power to win one last title. They traded away basically their whole draft for vets. That tells me to not trust Brady/Belicheck past this year. Brady's arm strength has been falling off for years and I think that will limit his ability to take advantage of Cooks' ability to take the top of a defense. He's never gonna be that jump ball receiver. That being said, Cooks will also benefit from target volume from these same problems. Cooks can probably fetch 1.1 on his own in most leagues. I don't like his chances to score touchdowns and I certainly don't like the Patriots as a spot after this year, if that.

You probably have not watched much Cooks film if you think he has a problem with jump balls. Not saying QBs should target him like he's a TE, but he makes his fair share of plays on jump balls. Way more than you would expect from an undersized receiver. Nasty vert, nasty hands, and highly intelligent and instinctive positioning for the football.

More importantly, unlike many in the fantasy community, watching both Garoppolo and Brissett look more than adequate in Belichik's offense has me less impressed with those QBs individually and more impressed with the quality of Belichik and staff's ability to simply expose any defense and run the offense to the strength of its players. I love Cooks in NE, and am a lot more worried if Belichik retires than if Tom Brady retires. And Cooks can get open underneath. He doesn't need Brady to throw 50 yards to have a 75 yard TD. Brady can get him the ball. I think the ?28 point comeback in the Superbowl should alleviate any criticism of Brady as he is playing now. And despite being a vet, Cooks is still younger than many WRs in this draft class that we will take with rookie picks, so it's not like their team is a bunch of aging geezers ready to fall apart and turn into the Rams. Hell, I would still like Cooks on the Rams. Kid is a freaking stud player.

you know his vert was only like 36" right?

[themburns]

I think Cooks is in for a few down years. This feels like a Patriots team doing everything in its power to win one last title. They traded away basically their whole draft for vets. That tells me to not trust Brady/Belicheck past this year. Brady's arm strength has been falling off for years and I think that will limit his ability to take advantage of Cooks' ability to take the top of a defense. He's never gonna be that jump ball receiver. That being said, Cooks will also benefit from target volume from these same problems. Cooks can probably fetch 1.1 on his own in most leagues. I don't like his chances to score touchdowns and I certainly don't like the Patriots as a spot after this year, if that.

You probably have not watched much Cooks film if you think he has a problem with jump balls. Not saying QBs should target him like he's a TE, but he makes his fair share of plays on jump balls. Way more than you would expect from an undersized receiver. Nasty vert, nasty hands, and highly intelligent and instinctive positioning for the football.

More importantly, unlike many in the fantasy community, watching both Garoppolo and Brissett look more than adequate in Belichik's offense has me less impressed with those QBs individually and more impressed with the quality of Belichik and staff's ability to simply expose any defense and run the offense to the strength of its players. I love Cooks in NE, and am a lot more worried if Belichik retires than if Tom Brady retires. And Cooks can get open underneath. He doesn't need Brady to throw 50 yards to have a 75 yard TD. Brady can get him the ball. I think the ?28 point comeback in the Superbowl should alleviate any criticism of Brady as he is playing now. And despite being a vet, Cooks is still younger than many WRs in this draft class that we will take with rookie picks, so it's not like their team is a bunch of aging geezers ready to fall apart and turn into the Rams. Hell, I would still like Cooks on the Rams. Kid is a freaking stud player.

This is a real trifecta of message board arguing. Insinuating I haven't watched tape, using adjectives like nasty to describe a 54th percentile vertical on a 5'10 WR (with a tiny wingspan. or perhaps a nasty tiny wingspan) because you can't acknowledge that he's a football player with weaknesses just like any other. And after the endless march of failed Brady backups (Matt Cassell, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallet) you tell me that not only Garoppolo, but Brissett look more than adequate as starters. That tells me you're just wildly optimistic as a homer, no offense.

As far as the stability of the Patriots goes, I'd say there is ample reason to worry. Tom Brady is going to be 40 at the start of the season. He did come back from a huge deficit in the Super Bowl, but when you're talking about a 4 score lead, I'd put more blame on the Falcons for giving up that lead, and the same credit Brady gets for scoring those points has to go to the defense for allowing that to be a margin of victory instead of garbage time. Gronkowski's health has to be a concern, I don't trust his back one bit myself. Selling Jamie Collins in the middle of a Super Bowl run to essentially move a 3rd round pick from 2018 (comp for letting him walk) to 2017. And like, Bill Belicheck is 65. He's just a few months younger than the oldest head coach in the NFL, and he has absolutely nothing left to prove. The defense won't work without him. Which might be best case scenario for Cooks, as there will be more possessions in competitive games and passing attempts.

[James McGhee]

A frequent poster here in the forums has recently stated that 1) Brady can't throw deep anymore, and 2) fanboys should not start new threads with "useless hot takes."

Thus, I have bumped this thread to question the notion that Brady can't throw deep anymore and thus Cooks' upside in 2017 is limited and he is likely going to be a bust.

I do however have some facts.

Tom Brady threw the second most "deep" passes for touchdowns (15+ yards as defined by the NFL) in 2017. (Tied for second with 12. Big Ben led the league with 15.)

Tom Brady has the second highest passer rating on "deep" passes - 127.1 - behind Dak Prescott of all people.

His favorite deep target, Chris Hogan, finished second in the regular season for yards per catch.

Now, I'm not saying that Cooks is going to turn in a fantasy MVP performance in NE in 2017 but thinking he is going to be a bust because Tom Brady can't throw deep anymore doesn't seem to be supported by what we saw in '16. Obviously, he could fall of a cliff but watching him play just a few months ago in February doesn't lend itself to that happening in this season upcoming.