Who Should I Start? Brandin Cooks or Jermaine Burton

Friday, March 21, 3:11 PM

Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks has inked a two-year $13 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, per Mike Garafolo -- the 31-year-old returns to the team that drafted him. Cooks was plagued by a knee injury in 2024 -- an MCL sprain that evolved into an infection -- forcing him from seven games. Still, he was the team's clear No. 2 wideout ahead of Jalen Tolbert when healthy. Despite the time missed, he'd score the third-most receiving touchdowns (three) of any Cowboys pass-catcher. Whether or not Cooks will make an impact in fantasy is unclear. However, he provides a valuable second option on the field alongside teammate Chris Olave, with Rashid Shaheed's (knee) status undetermined after a mid-season meniscus injury.

Saturday, August 23, 5:37 PM

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (knee) exited Saturday's loss to the Colts. He did not return. The wideout injured his knee during the Bengals' preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and didn't play in the Monday Night Football clash with the Washington Commanders. Burton managed to suit up for the preseason finale, although he caught only one of his four targets for 16 yards before his premature departure. Head coach Zac Taylor couldn't provide an update while speaking after the game, so fantasy managers should consider him as day-to-day. However, Burton's fantasy outlook doesn't look promising even if he gets a positive update about his knee, especially since he's expected to be at least the No. 4 receiver on the depth chart behind Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Andrei Iosivas. If anything, he'll get most of his work on special teams.