Who Should I Start? Brandin Cooks or Diontae Johnson

Saturday, October 5, 1:15 PM

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) is going on Injured Reserve on Saturday, which means he will miss at least the next four games. In a corresponding move, the Cowboys moved linebacker Nick Vigil to the active 53-man. Amani Oruwariye and Carl Lawson are also being elevated from the practice squad. Cooks had already been ruled out for Week 5's Sunday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but now he won't be eligible to return until Week 10 against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys have their bye in Week 7. This news certainly makes Jalen Tolbert more attractive as a waiver-wire pickup if he's still available in your league, as he's expected to see a substantial role increase as the WR2 in Dallas behind CeeDee Lamb with Cooks sidelined. Cooks caught nine of 19 targets for 91 yards and one touchdown in the first four weeks of the season.

Wednesday, October 30, 6:54 PM

New Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson practiced on Wednesday after being acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday. His participation suggests that he could be on track to playing in Week 9 when the Ravens host the Denver Broncos. According to recent reports, Johnson will slot in as the Ravens' No. 3 wide receiver behind Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers. After being traded to the Panthers this past offseason, Johnson now finds himself back on a contender. He has recorded 357 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2024 despite playing with subpar quarterback play. However, Johnson has excelled with quarterback Andy Dalton under center. Now that Johnson enters a situation with several quality weapons, his volume is sure to decrease. For fantasy purposes, the days of a relevant Johnson in 2024 may be behind us, at least in the short term. Johnson's talent may demand the Ravens to ensure he gets touches. However, the team seems to view Johnson as a missing chess piece for a potential Super Bowl run rather than a foundational player. Fantasy managers should monitor Johnson's snap share and targets over the next couple of weeks to determine how this trade will impact his outlook for the rest of the season.