Who Should I Start? Brandin Cooks or Kayshon Boutte

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, 2:19 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) is a name to look for on waivers this week, as he is currently rostered in under 50% of leagues and is expected to return to practice on Wednesday after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury. In his third season, Boutte has become a favorite downfield target of MVP candidate Drake Maye, already racking up a career-high five receiving touchdowns in eight-plus games. While his target numbers have not been off the charts, the looks he's getting have been extremely valuable for fantasy, with an average depth of target of 17.7 yards. His 74.2% catch rate while maintaining such a high ADoT speaks volumes to the connection he's forged with Maye. Should he return for Week 12, he walks into a plus matchup against a struggling Bengals defense. If active, Mack Hollins, who has been the Patriots' downfield threat in Boutte's absence, will likely return to a less fantasy-friendly role closer to the line of scrimmage.