Who Should I Start? Darius Cooper or Jalen Royals

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Week 7 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
3.7 0.0 0.0 1.3 16.2 0.1

Darius Cooper News

Darius Cooper Emerging as Potential Deep-League WR Streamer

Monday, October 12, 5:12 PM

After recording just two catches through the first three weeks of the 2026 season, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper has emerged as a more reliable contributor lately. Across his last two games, Cooper has recorded five catches for 104 yards and three touchdowns on 10 targets. The 24-year-old has established himself as a red zone target for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, as four of his seven catches on the season have gone for touchdowns. The Eagles may get star wideout DeVonta Smith (hamstring) back from his two-game absence in Week 6, which would likely significantly impact Cooper's playing time and target share. Still, Cooper could be worth targeting on the waiver wire in deeper leagues just in case Smith remains sidelined by his hamstring injury for Philadelphia's Week 6 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

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Week 7 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
5.8 0.4 0.0 2.1 24.6 0.2

Jalen Royals News

Jalen Royals Playing More, but Targets Remain Scarce

Tuesday, October 20, 8:04 AM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jalen Royals has played 83 offensive snaps over his past two games, yet only six passes have come his way. He went without a catch on two targets while playing 38 snaps against Las Vegas in Week 4, then caught two of four targets for 24 yards across 45 snaps in Sunday's 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. That's a big jump in playing time for the second-year receiver, who logged just 22 offensive snaps combined in Weeks 2 and 3. With only 1% of leagues rostering him, Royals is worth a speculative stash in 12-team formats, though his production doesn't justify starting him against Seattle in Week 7. Rashee Rice (hamstring) missed Sunday's game and Tyquan Thornton (ankle) remains sidelined, which opens up opportunities in Kansas City's receiving corps. Still, Xavier Worthy drew seven targets against Los Angeles, and Andrew Armstrong played 42 snaps after being elevated from the practice squad, so Royals faces plenty of competition for meaningful receiving work.

Darius Cooper vs. Jalen Royals

Still trying to decide between Cooper and Royals? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Darius Cooper is projected to score 3.7 points this week while Jalen Royals is projected to score 5.8 points.