Who Should I Start? Brandin Cooks or Puka Nacua

Tuesday, July 2, 4:03 PM

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks didn't make the impact many had hoped for in his first season with the organization. He caught just 54 passes for 657 yards, but his eight touchdowns kept him on the fantasy football radar. The six-time 1,000-yard receiver has now failed to reach 700 yards in two consecutive seasons, but he's reportedly looking like his old self offseason. "The Cowboys were 11-0 in the regular season when Cooks had at least 20 receiving yards and 0-5 when he had fewer than 20," wrote Saad Yousuf of the Athletic. "One of the most underrated players in Dallas, the 31-year-old Cooks still showed his signature speed while blowing past cornerbacks during OTAs." The former Saint, Patriot, Ram, and Texan is being selected outside the top 50 wide receivers in 2024 fantasy drafts, so he could be a steal at cost in the explosive Dallas offense. However, it's tough to ignore the statistical regression in recent seasons.

Thursday, June 27, 4:16 PM

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua came out of nowhere and delivered arguably the greatest season for a rookie pass-catcher ever. The BYU product caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season and posted 181 yards in his first playoff game. However, the Rams believe he's in better shape and could make strides in Year 2. "His body is totally different," wide receiver coach Eric Yarber said. "He looks just like Cooper. He's lost so much body fat and gained so much lean muscle, which enabled him to move more efficiently now. And he has better body control. But he did exactly what I said. And you're seeing some of the results right now." The 23-year-old was a top-four wideout in PPR leagues last season, and it sounds like he's doing the right things to remain a fantasy football WR1. Although he might see some regression with a fully healthy Cooper Kupp, he should maintain his spike-week upside.