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Fantasy Football Week 8 Start or Sit: Brandin Cooks

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By @WaltYeboah

Brandin Cooks worth a Week 8 Fantasy Football Start

Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports

In the offseason, New Orleans Saints rookie WR Brandin Cooks received so many positive reviews from fantasy football experts that he rose up the fantasy draft ranks from a sleeper to as high as a WR2. Unfortunately, one only knows what happens when the NFL season starts and so far, 2014 has been a mixed bag for Cooks.

In Week 1, Cooks lived up to the hype immediately with seven catches for 77 yards and one touchdown to his name. Cooks was also given the job title as the Saints’ punt returner, but through Week 7, he’s only accrued 37 yards in the return game.

Although he’s tied with TE Jimmy Graham for No. 1 on the team in receptions (34), Cooks has found very little room to run and make an impact with each catch, which is highlighted by his horrific 8.2 yards-per-catch average.

As the weeks have progressed, Drew Brees isn’t really using Cooks in the Darren Sproles-like manner that he envisioned at the beginning of the season. Moreover, RB Travaris Cadet seems to be Brees’ new short-yardage receiver of choice since Cadet has stepped up to catch 15 balls over the last three games — and he’s even caught a TD in the red zone, as well.

Cooks is not having a bad season, but with so many mouths to feed in the Saints’ passing game, Cooks only has real value in PPR leagues right now. Kenny Stills even caught a TD last week in a game where he reeled in five balls for 103 yards, so this even makes the situation for Cooks all the more complicated.

If you have Cooks in a PPR league, it might be safe to start him at the flex position in an expected shootout in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers, but even slot WR Wes Welker has experienced a dry TD spell this season (one TD) in Peyton Manning‘s prolific pass-heavy offense, so only start Cooks if you’re totally out of options at the flex.

Walton Yeboah-Amoako is a Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @WaltYeboah, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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