X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


LINEUP RESOURCES

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
Fantasy Updates
24x7 News and Alerts

ADP Showdown: Amari Cooper vs. Adam Thielen

You’re in the middle of the third round of your draft and you need another wide receiver. Maybe you need to get your first wideout that will be your team’s WR1 throughout the season. The bottom line is that you can’t afford to miss with this pick. Championships aren’t won on draft day, but they can absolutely be lost on draft day. Missing with your third-round pick could leave you fighting an uphill battle all year. Picking between these guys isn't going to cost you your year, but it's going to make things a lot more difficult if you pick the wrong one. That's what we're here to help you avoid.

We’re looking at Adam Thielen and Amari Cooper. Thielen finished as WR7 in the 2018 season. He started the season with eight straight 100-yard games, and he was quarterback Kirk Cousins’ favorite target on the Minnesota Vikings. After a down year in 2019, he’s reasonably slipped a bit. Although, if you look closer, he should be on the upswing. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is now in Buffalo and while the Vikes brought in Justin Jefferson, he’s a rookie that doesn’t have the rapport with Cousins that Thielen does. Thielen’s only issue last year was health, and we haven’t seen him function as the team’s major offensive weapon thus far, but that doesn’t mean he can’t handle the work.

On the other side of this, you have Amari Cooper on the Dallas Cowboys. When he’s feeling it, he’s one of the best receivers in the NFL for fantasy. Last year, against the Green Bay Packers in Week 5, he ran up 11 receptions, over 200 yards, and a touchdown. The problem with him is that, when he’s not on, he can absolutely disappear. Boom-or-bust players don’t typically get drafted super high, but Cooper could be the exception to that rule. You're getting a guy with WR1 upside for cheaper than most guys, and he's a consensus top-10 dynasty asset because he's locked up in a long-term deal with the Cowboys. Why not get him while his price is still down?

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association including Baseball Writer of the Year, Football Writers of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year and many more! Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!

 

The Case for Thielen

After being drafted as WR10 last year, he’s now being drafted as WR9, but he’s fallen backward nearly a full round in overall ADP. From 2.11, he’s gone down to 3.07. Most of that comes as a result of the increased importance of running backs in drafts. He’s also a year older and coming off a season that saw him catch just 30 passes for 418 yards. With Diggs out the door, his stock should be pointing upward rather than the downward trend that we’re seeing now. This is where you can find that additional value that others may overlook.

He dealt with injuries a lot last season, but that doesn’t capture the full story. In the five games before the injury really hampered him, Thielen was on a rather decent pace. He was averaging 16.2 PPR points per game, which would have allowed him to finish as WR9 on a PPG basis at the end of the season. Those numbers were with Diggs still on the field with him. Diggs is now gone and while they brought in Jefferson, the rookie will need some time to get his feet under him. That just means more targets will be going Thielen’s way.

Factoring in his ADP, if Thielen is your first wideout, he should give you a player with a high floor on a weekly basis in the third round. He was averaging six targets per game on an offense that leaned heavily on RB Dalvin Cook in the backfield. The only issue you have with Thielen is his health. He was a WR1 in 2017 & 2018 when he was fully healthy. As long as he’s healthy again this year, you’re going to get 15 to 20 points out of him on a weekly basis.

 

The Case for Cooper

Cooper has yet to be a WR1 in his career. He’s gotten to WR14, but he hasn’t quite cleared the WR12 threshold. While he hasn’t hit that threshold as Thielen has, he brings a different level of play to the field. One major feature that he has working in his favor is the amount of passing game work he will get. QB Dak Prescott had 596 passing attempts last season, which was sixth in the NFL. For comparison, Kirk Cousins had just 444. There were 152 more opportunities for Cooper to score points.

Cooper didn’t have the same injury issues that we saw with Thielen last year, although he has dealt with them in the past. He did see a noticeable decrease in scoring in the back half of the season. His scoring total went down by 33 percent, and a major reason for that was his touchdown and yardage averages decreasing. After being on pace for 12 touchdowns and 1402 yards, those numbers both regressed severely.

Cooper’s ADP has him being taken in the middle of the fourth round, which could allow you to make him your WR2 after taking a more consistent one in the second or third round. Having Cooper as your WR2 is great considering his upside. When Mike McCarthy was running the Green Bay Packers, they were consistently one of the most pass-heavy teams in the league. Even with running back Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield, I expect Dallas to ride Dak’s arm. With Cooper still as the WR1, getting him in the fourth round seems like really good value to me.

 

The Verdict

Both of these guys could finish as WR1s at the end of the year, and none of us would bat an eye. They’re both going to be the top receiving options on their teams, but they are going to do it in different ways. Cooper is a big-play waiting to happen, and he also runs some of the cleanest routes in the league. Thielen relies on his efficiency, as he’s caught at least 62 percent of his passes in the last five seasons. I’m going to take Cooper as the cheaper option with a higher ceiling. If you’re looking for a safer option, Thielen is your guy, but Cooper gives you a much higher ceiling. 

Final Verdict: Cooper over Thielen



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!




Win Big With RotoBaller

Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:

More Fantasy Football Analysis




LINEUP RESOURCES

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
Fantasy Updates
24x7 News and Alerts

ROTOBALLER PLAYER NEWS

Tee Higgins3 hours ago

Not Concerned About Contract Situation
Jeff Skinner3 hours ago

Scores Game-Winning Goal In Overtime
Devon Levi3 hours ago

Earns Victory In NHL Debut
A.J. Puk5 hours ago

Picks Up Save For Marlins Friday
Rhys Hoskins5 hours ago

Undergoes Successful Knee Surgery
Nick Solak5 hours ago

Mariners Acquire Nick Solak From Reds
Justin Verlander5 hours ago

Does Some Throwing On Friday
Justin Verlander5 hours ago

Does Some Light Throwing
Luis Urías6 hours ago

Luis Urias Reportedly Heading To Injured List
Joey Wiemer6 hours ago

Reportedly Will Be Called Up
Anthony Rendon6 hours ago

Being Investigated By MLB
Willson Contreras7 hours ago

Receives Good News On Friday
Seattle Seahawks8 hours ago

Ryan Neal Becomes Free Agent
Pharaoh Brown8 hours ago

Joins Colts
Darrynton Evans8 hours ago

To Meet With Colts
Laquon Treadwell8 hours ago

Working Out For Cowboys
Zach Collins8 hours ago

Out Against Golden State
De'Andre Hunter8 hours ago

Out With A Knee Injury On Friday
Oscar Gonzalez8 hours ago

Starting On Friday
Obi Toppin8 hours ago

Will Start Against The Cavs
Jarrett Allen9 hours ago

Downgraded To Out On Friday
Nelson Cruz9 hours ago

Batting Cleanup On Friday
Mike Moustakas9 hours ago

Remains Out Again
Michael Brantley9 hours ago

Takes Batting Practice
Andrew Vaughn9 hours ago

Sitting On Friday
Gavin Sheets11 hours ago

Oscar Colas Starting On Friday
Paul Sewald11 hours ago

Picks Up Win On Opening Day
Garrett Whitlock11 hours ago

Making Rehab Start Friday
Josh Rojas11 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff Against Dodgers
Corey Julks11 hours ago

Making MLB Debut Against White Sox
Bryan Reynolds11 hours ago

Opt-Out Clause The Sticking Point For Bryan Reynolds Extension
Portland Trail Blazers12 hours ago

LaMarcus Aldridge Officially Retires From The NBA
Corbin Carroll12 hours ago

Hitting Fifth Against Right-Hander
Jamal Murray12 hours ago

Considered Questionable Against Phoenix
Nikola Jokic12 hours ago

Could Miss His Second Consecutive Game
Kenyon Martin12 hours ago

Jr. Uncertain To Play Against Detroit
Tobias Harris12 hours ago

Could Miss Friday's Game Against Toronto
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander12 hours ago

Upgraded To Questionable On Friday
Al Horford12 hours ago

Uncertain To Suit Up On Friday
Jaylen Brown12 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable With Lower-Back Pain
Jayson Tatum12 hours ago

Listed As Questionable Against Utah
Kelly Olynyk12 hours ago

Is Available Against Boston On Friday
De'Andre Hunter12 hours ago

Downgraded To Out On Friday
Trayveon Williams14 hours ago

Bengals Have High Hopes For Trayveon Williams
Joe Burrow14 hours ago

Bengals Begin Extension Discussions With Joe Burrow
Mac Jones15 hours ago

Bill Belichick Still Non-Committal On Mac Jones
Sammy Blais16 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Six Games
Cam Talbot16 hours ago

Makes A Winning Return
Matthew Beniers17 hours ago

Logs Two Points Against Anaheim
Stuart Skinner17 hours ago

Grabs A 43-Save Shutout
Tristan Jarry17 hours ago

Records His Second Shutout
Matthew Tkachuk17 hours ago

Rolls To Four Points Versus Montreal
T.J. Oshie17 hours ago

Exits With An Upper-Body Injury
Mikey Anderson17 hours ago

Injured On First Shift Thursday
CJ McCollum18 hours ago

Drops 23 Points In Easy Win Over Denver
Jamal Murray18 hours ago

Salvages Solid Performance In Loss
Brandon Ingram18 hours ago

Secures A Triple-Double Against Denver
Jaylen Brown18 hours ago

Collects Another 30-Point Game
Jayson Tatum18 hours ago

Drops 40 Points In Blowout Win
Naz Reid18 hours ago

Set To Miss Significant Amount Of Time
Linus Ullmark1 day ago

Allows One Goal In Overtime Victory
David Pastrnak1 day ago

Scores Game-Winning Goal
Baltimore Ravens1 day ago

Ravens Have Been Active In Receiver Market
Baker Mayfield1 day ago

Kyle Trask To Compete In Training Camp
Courtland Sutton1 day ago

Broncos Could Still Trade Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton
DeAndre Hopkins1 day ago

To Stay With Cardinals?
Odell Beckham Jr.1 day ago

Jets The Most Likely Landing Spot For Odell Beckham Jr.
Carolina Panthers1 day ago

Panthers Not Settled On One QB For No. 1 Pick
Lamar Jackson1 day ago

Not Seeking Fully Guaranteed Deal
Nathan Peterman1 day ago

Re-Signs With Bears
Ryan Lindgren1 day ago

A Game-Time Decision Against New Jersey
Seth Jones1 day ago

Expects To Play Thursday
David Savard1 day ago

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Kirby Dach1 day ago

Set To Miss At Least One Week
Adam Boqvist2 days ago

Not Expected To Play Thursday
Matt Grzelcyk2 days ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Michael Hutchinson2 days ago

Tending Twine Against Boston Thursday
Stuart Skinner2 days ago

Gets The Nod For Edmonton Thursday
Petr Mrazek2 days ago

Between The Pipes Versus Blues
Dre Miller2 days ago

Kendre Miller Ahead Of Schedule
Buffalo Bills2 days ago

Bills Re-Sign Jordan Phillips
Las Vegas Raiders2 days ago

Alex Bars Returns To Raiders On One-Year Deal
Dallas Cowboys2 days ago

Johnathan Hankins Re-Signs With Cowboys
NFL2 days ago

Wanya Morris Getting Close To 100%
Brendon Todd3 days ago

Has Success At TPC San Antonio
Ben Martin3 days ago

Has Value At TPC San Antonio
Nick Taylor3 days ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Option At Valero
Taylor Pendrith3 days ago

A Sleeper Option At TPC San Antonio
Chris Kirk3 days ago

A Good Option At The Valero Texas Open
Matt Kuchar3 days ago

Loves Playing TPC San Antonio
Will Gordon3 days ago

Offers A Wild-Card Option At Valero
Cam Davis3 days ago

Can Keep His Current Form At TPC San Antonio
Mark Hubbard3 days ago

A Low-Risk Value Option At Valero
Tyler Duncan3 days ago

Start Tyler Duncan At TPC San Antonio
Emiliano Grillo3 days ago

Not Recommended At Valero
Patrick Rodgers3 days ago

Don't Give Patrick Rodgers A Shot At Valero
Adam Schenk3 days ago

Wants To Keep Momentum Rolling At Valero
Ryan Moore3 days ago

Cannot Get Past The Cut Lately
Stephan Jaeger3 days ago

Could Warm Things Up At Valero
Si Woo Kim3 days ago

A Possible Contender At Valero
Taylor Montgomery3 days ago

Attempting To Find Weekend Consistency
Corey Conners3 days ago

Trying To Recreate A Little Magic
Thomas Detry4 days ago

Continues To Impress In Rookie Season
Aaron Rai4 days ago

Brings Positive Momentum To Valero Texas Open
Akshay Bhatia4 days ago

Looks To Stay Hot In Texas
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Impressive At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Finds His Footing At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Continues To Shine On Road Courses
NASCAR4 days ago

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Finishes Seventh
Austin Cindric4 days ago

Has A Solid Day
Marlon Vera5 days ago

Has Four-Fight Winning Streak Snapped
Cory Sandhagen5 days ago

Dominates Striking Department
Yana Santos5 days ago

Dominated In Decision Loss
Holly Holm5 days ago

Dominates In Co-Main Event
Austin Lingo5 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss
Nate Landwehr5 days ago

Shines With Second-Round Submission Win
Andrea Lee5 days ago

Suffers Defeat In Close Matchup Saturday
Maycee Barber5 days ago

Takes Close Matchup On Saturday
Chidi Njokuani5 days ago

Takes Close Loss In Split-Decision Showing
Albert Duraev5 days ago

Holds Off Opponent In Tight Split Decision
William Byron5 days ago

Rounds Out Top Five At COTA
Ross Chastain5 days ago

Caught Up To Fourth At COTA On Sunday
Alex Bowman5 days ago

Brings Home Third Place Finish At COTA
Kyle Busch5 days ago

Scrambles Up To Second At Austin
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Dominates And Wins At COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF