Who Should I Start? Brandin Cooks or DJ Chark

Saturday, October 11, 12:12 PM

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks has recorded 12 catches for 103 yards on 16 targets across five games so far this season. The 32-year-old has served as the team's WR3 alongside Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, but if Week 5 is any indication, Cooks could be losing playing time. In Week 5, Cooks played just five more offensive snaps than Saints wideout Devaughn Vele after playing 56 more offensive snaps than Vele in Week 4. In Week 6, the Saints will take on the New England Patriots, who rank fifth-worst in yards per pass attempt allowed (8.2) through five games. Still, Cooks appears unlikely to see enough target volume to be fantasy relevant and could be losing playing time altogether in New England. Cooks should remain off the radar of fantasy managers in Week 6.

Monday, August 18, 11:19 AM

The Atlanta Falcons have released veteran wide receiver DJ Chark, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The team signed Chark in late July after wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) went down with a shoulder injury early in training camp. While Mooney has yet to return to the field, Chark's release could be an indication that Atlanta is confident that Mooney will not miss significant time. It could also simply mean that Chark was not part of the team's 53-man roster plans, regardless of Mooney's status. With Chark no longer in Atlanta, veteran KhaDarel Hodge looks like the top candidate to receive more playing time while Mooney is sidelined.