Fantasy Football Player Notes

Brandin Cooks has finished worse than the fantasy WR20 only once since 2015, and that was due to injury. He has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards six times with four different teams during that span.

At just 28 years old, Cooks shows little signs of slowing down. Last season, he was a target and air yards hog, finishing fourth in air yards share (36%) and ninth in target share (24%).

And during the final four games of the season with Davis Mills at quarterback, Cooks was top-10 in fantasy points per game (15.0) to go along with a top-5 target rate per route run (33%).

Nico Collins commanded end-zone targets and high air-yard throws in 2021 but ultimately never put together a true breakout game. He finished behind Brandin Cooks in air yards and all other receiving categories. Still, he should open the 2022 season at worst as the de facto No. 2 option for up-and-coming second-year quarterback Davis Mills.

The Houston Texans traded multiple picks to move up for John Metchie during the 2022 NFL Draft in a similar fashion to how they acquired Nico Collins a season ago.

The former Alabama wide receiver caught 96 balls for over 1,100 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in his final junior season. He just happened to be overshadowed by Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams.

But don't sleep on Metchie because he possesses a nice skillset that will translate well with the Texans. He's a savvy route runner that understands how to get leverage and create separation from defenders. His game reminds me of Eddie Royal.

He probably won't ever be a true No. 1, but that doesn't preclude him from carving out a niche role starting from the slot.

But that will have to wait until 2023. Metchie was recently diagnosed with leukemia, making it likely he misses the entire 2022 season.