Who Should I Start? Brandin Cooks or Kyle Williams

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.

Thursday, November 13, 12:38 AM

New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams should continue to see more involvement during Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets in Week 11. Williams is coming off a strong outing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which he posted a season-high (and, thus, career-high) 56 percent snap share. He caught one of two targets in the victory, breaking off an impressive 72-yard touchdown that wound up on numerous highlight reels. While we can't count on the rookie to break off a huge touchdown every week, last Sunday's big play should be enough to earn him more opportunities going forward. His volume will also continue to benefit from the absence of Kayshon Boutte (hamstring), who is headed for his second consecutive absence. Williams still has to compete with players like Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and DeMario Douglas for volume, but he's certainly starting to earn the trust of Drake Maye and New England's coaching staff. Williams is a WR5 with a low floor and high ceiling this week. Managers in most leagues can leave him on the bench until we see him consistently earn more targets.