Should I Start Brandin Cooks?

Saturday, October 17, 1:45 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandin Cooks had one catch in his team debut last week, but it was good for a seven-yard touchdown. Amid injuries to Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) and Mike Evans (ribs, Achilles), Cooks was mostly rotated into two-WR sets, and his snap share was nearly equal to that of Samuel, Jacob Cowing (ankle), and Jordan Watkins. With Samuel ruled out for Week 6, and Evans questionable after not practicing all week, Cooks might take another step forward on Monday night. The 49ers will host the Commanders in the final game of the slate, and Washington has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in 2026. Cooks currently projects as a WR5 in Week 6. He is best suited for deep leagues and is worth stashing elsewhere as a late pivot option for teams rostering Evans.