Who Should I Start? Brandin Cooks or Jayden Higgins

Saturday, November 8, 10:23 AM

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks will take on an increased workload after Rashid Shaheed was traded to the Seattle Seahawks. Cooks is expected to operate as the Saints' No. 2 receiver behind Chris Olave for the rest of the season, starting with Sunday's Week 10 contest against the Carolina Panthers. The veteran is likely second or third in the pecking order for targets, working behind Olave and perhaps tight end Juwan Johnson, too. While New Orleans' offense has struggled this season, they've also been playing from behind in most of their games, creating additional volume for the passing game, led by Tyler Shough. An uptick in targets could be enough to generate low-end WR3/flex appeal for Cooks in deeper leagues. He's a solid speculative stash in deep formats, while managers in leagues with 12 or fewer teams can keep an eye on him.

Tuesday, November 18, 11:37 AM

Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins may be emerging as a more consistent feature within his team's offense. He recorded four catches for 55 yards on seven targets in Week 11 against the Tennessee Titans, marking the third time in his last four games he's been targeted at least seven times. A second-round pick out of Iowa State, Higgins looks like he could be assuming the WR2 role in Houston alongside star wideout Nico Collins. Perhaps most importantly for Higgins' fantasy outlook, the Texans have seemingly shifted to a pass-heavy offensive approach. Since the team's Week 6 bye, Houston quarterbacks have attempted at least 39 passes in every game. The Texans will face a stingy pass defense in Week 12 when they face the Buffalo Bills. Still, Higgins appears to have a relatively safe target floor. He should be a waiver-wire target for all managers in PPR leagues with 12 or more teams.