Is wide receiver Brandin Cooks ready to speed it up for the Houston Texans?

Brandin Cooks has played for four different teams during the course of his eight seasons in the NFL. There are six times when he has collected more than 1,000 receiving yards (at least once in each city played). Cooks had two outstanding seasons with the Texans in 2020 and 2021 (81/1,150/6 and 90/1,037/6), which helped him finish 17th and 20th in fantasy points (232 and 231.8) in PPR leagues. His most productive performances last season took place over the course of seven games (5/132, 9/78/1, 9/112, 6/83/1, 8/101, 7/102/2, 7/66/1). In eight games, he had a minimum of six receptions, while in nine games, he had seven targets or fewer.

Cooks is still one of Fantasy football's most hit-and-miss receivers, but the fact that he had a much better season alongside QB Davis Mills last year makes him a desirable No. 2 option. He caught 71 percent of Mills' passes, averaging only 10.7 yards per catch but scoring five touchdowns (one every 13.8 receptions). Cooks scored at least 18 PPR points in three of their final four games together. Only in their Week 18 matchup was Cooks absent from the attack. That was when the Texans' offense was led by Danny Amendola.

Looking ahead to this coming season, experts believe Houston's passing game will not change much. Still, much is expected from the Texans' air attack mainly because there isn't much upside to the team's defense and run game. This suggests that Cooks will have a productive year, maybe his greatest one yet. This means Cooks wouldn't be an awful pick in Round 3, but grabbing him in Round 4 or later would be a great value.

Brandin Cooks 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook

Cooks has a lengthy list of accomplishments, yet he is still performing below his past peak. In the NFFC, he is the 28th-ranked wideout with an ADP of 72 as of a couple of months ago. Now, Cooks will be the primary receiving target for the Texans in 2022. Again, that's because of his extensive experience playing with Mills. Despite missing one game, he established a career-best for targets (134) last season. His next goal is 100 receptions and at least five touchdowns, with a chance to surpass his previous record of 1,204 receiving yards achieved in 2018.

Although Brandin Cooks' name was mentioned in trade rumors before, he isn't moving because he signed a two-year contract with the Texans earlier this year. Recall that he was selected by the Saints with the 20th overall pick in 2014. He has played for the Saints, Patriots, Rams, and Texans in his career after being traded three times.

On a Houston squad that is lacking in depth, the 28-year-old is unquestionably one of the top players. Cooks led the Texans in receiving last season with 90 receptions for 1,037 yards and six touchdowns. As good as he is, though, he hasn't had a bona fide breakthrough season yet that would have elevated him to the top tier at his position since entering the league.

On the other hand, the floor for Cooks has consistently stayed high. Only twice has he fallen short of 1,000 yards. He was only able to play in 10 games as a rookie. In 2019, he faced competition for targets in Los Angeles from Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods.

Pep Hamilton, the offensive coordinator for the Texans, claimed that Cooks' return guarantees Houston will have a reliable threat each week. Cooks is someone for whom defenders must surely prepare. He will, at least, continue to add a playmaking presence to the Houston offense. Obviously, Cooks is also a really viable target for Mills.

Speaking of Davis Mills, if his QB skills have you worried, remember that some experts point out that he actually did a respectable job last year. In fact, he targeted Cooks on 28.3 percent of his attempts over the course of 12 games. Over a 17-game season, Cooks averaged 6.2 receptions for 65.5 yards and 0.42 touchdowns. He had a total of 105 catches for 1,113 yards and 7.1 scores.

All these mean that Cooks may carry the greatest value in his position. This is true especially if he goes off the board around or after the 29th pick in fantasy leagues.