Who Should I Start? Brandin Cooks or Diontae Johnson

Tuesday, July 2, 4:03 PM

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks didn't make the impact many had hoped for in his first season with the organization. He caught just 54 passes for 657 yards, but his eight touchdowns kept him on the fantasy football radar. The six-time 1,000-yard receiver has now failed to reach 700 yards in two consecutive seasons, but he's reportedly looking like his old self offseason. "The Cowboys were 11-0 in the regular season when Cooks had at least 20 receiving yards and 0-5 when he had fewer than 20," wrote Saad Yousuf of the Athletic. "One of the most underrated players in Dallas, the 31-year-old Cooks still showed his signature speed while blowing past cornerbacks during OTAs." The former Saint, Patriot, Ram, and Texan is being selected outside the top 50 wide receivers in 2024 fantasy drafts, so he could be a steal at cost in the explosive Dallas offense. However, it's tough to ignore the statistical regression in recent seasons.

Wednesday, July 3, 6:35 PM

The Carolina Panthers made no move to extend wide receiver Diontae Johnson after trading for the former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout in March, as they prefer to see whether he emerges as the explosive, coverage-separating pass-catcher that quarterback Bryce Young and the offense lacked in 2023. If Johnson proves he's a difference-maker in his first year in Carolina and if he doesn't become a distraction when the ball doesn't come his way, he could be set to cash in next offseason in a receiver market that has exploded in recent years. The 27-year-old disappointed as Pittsburgh's top receiver last year, catching a career-low 51 passes for 717 yards and five touchdowns. Johnson will now be competing with veteran Adam Thielen for targets in what was the worst offense in the league last year. Most of Johnson's fantasy value will be tied to how much Young improves in Year 2. Consider Johnson a low-end WR3/high-WR4 target in fantasy drafts.