Fantasy Football: 4 Things We Learned From Week 2

Brandin Cooks is Rising

Brandin Cooks is not Sammy Watkins. Despite signing with the same team Watkins left in the offseason, Cooks is more than just a simple replacement; he's a focal point of the offense.

Last year the Rams featured Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp heavily, while leaving Watkins out of the fun, largely running clear-out routes to make space for the other receivers. The 2018 Rams still feature Woods and Kupp, but Cooks has become a bona fide WR1 for the offense.

Cooks currently ranks 15th in total Air Yards, but those intended Air Yards do not include the two deep defensive pass interference calls Cooks drew in Week 1 against the Raiders. If we include those 87 yards Cooks created in penalties into his total Air Yards, he would actually have the 5th-most in the league at 309.

Further distancing himself from Watkins, Cooks has secured for himself a solid target market share of 27%. In 2017 Watkins managed just 14% of the team's targets. It's actually a huge step up for Cooks, too, who never crested a 20% target market share during his years with the Saints and the Patriots.

This new role for Cooks on one of the league's best offenses sets him up for a fantastic fantasy season.