Week 15 NFL Advanced Analytics Superstars
Wide Receiver: Brandin Cooks
Brandin Cooks, WR, New Orleans Saints
7 Receptions, 186 Yards, 8 Targets, 2 Touchdowns
Performance: 100, NEP: +18.25
The New Orleans offense came to life this week after a stagnant two-game skid. Drew Brees rebounded in a big way, throwing for 300-plus yards and 4 touchdowns, and Brandin Cooks was the main recipient of most of that volume. Cooks hauled in 7 of 8 targets for a career-high 186 receiving yards while scoring 2 touchdowns.
In a 48-41 shootout with the Arizona Cardinals, the Saints' offense got back on track. Patrick Peterson shadow coverage was the big worry in this game, but with a healthy Michael Thomas back in the fold, Peterson didn't spend much time covering Cooks. It allowed Cooks to benefit in better matchups, producing a highlight-type game as he scored from both 65 and 45 yards out.
Cooks added +5.74 and +5.29 to his NEP on those respective touchdown plays, giving a big boost to his season-long NEP ranking. Cooks now ranks seventh among all receivers in Reception NEP and seventh in PPR fantasy scoring.
Cooks' big game this week netted him the top WR1 performance among all wideouts. While his week-to-week consistency has some variance, Cooks has the type of ceiling that wins fantasy matchups.
Best of the Rest:
| Wide Receiver | Rec | Rec Yards | Tgts | Rec TDs | Performance | Total NEP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Lockett | 7 | 130 | 8 | 1 | 96 | +13.24 |
| Jordy Nelson | 7 | 124 | 10 | 0 | 82 | +10.53 |
| Alshon Jeffery | 6 | 89 | 9 | 1 | 78 | +9.47 |
| Odell Beckham | 6 | 64 | 8 | 1 | 76 | +8.00 |
| DeSean Jackson | 7 | 111 | 10 | 0 | 75 | +8.80 |
