X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Boom or Bust WR Predictions: Brandin Cooks, DeVante Parker, Calvin Ridley

Joe Gallina decides whether wide receivers Calvin Ridley, DeVante Parker, and Brandin Cooks will be boom or bust draft selections for 2020 fantasy football leagues.

There is a tremendous amount of depth at the wide receiver position in fantasy football this season. At the same time, the trend of NFL teams using the running back by committee approach is making it harder and harder to find a bell-cow running back these days. Consequently, most football players have justifiably abandoned the zero RB draft strategy. Who even came up with this approach?

How deep is the WR position in fantasy football? It’s so deep that based on FantasyPros’ consensus ADPs you can typically draft Julian Edelman, the Patriots’ WR1 who caught 100 passes last season, in the seventh round of a typical 12 team PPR fantasy football league. Sterling Shepard, who is a WR1 for the New York Giants, is typically drafted in the ninth round of similar leagues as per FantasyPros’ consensus ADP.

The following is an analysis of three wide receivers. Two that have a good chance to BOOM, or out-produce their consensus ADPs, and one who might potentially regress this season and could be a potential bust based on his current ADP. For the purposes of this article, we will be referencing FantasyPros consensus PPR ADPs.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans

ADP: WR35, 84th Overall

Brandin Cooks entered the 2019 season having had four straight seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. In those four seasons, he scored the 13th-most fantasy points per game among WRs in PPR scoring formats. Cooks’ 2019 stats aren’t pretty. Multiple concussions and Rams QB Jared Goff’s regression contributed to Cooks’ mediocre 42 catch and 583 receiving yard stat line.

Cooks was traded to the Texans this offseason and with DeAndre Hopkins’ 2019 150 targets up for grabs, he has a good chance of leading the team in that category. We all know QB Deshaun Watson loves WR Will Fuller, but we also know that Fuller is unlikely to play a full season. Cooks provides Watson with a reliable target who can stretch the field. Some are concerned that the lack of a typical offseason might affect Cooks’ chemistry with Watson. However, with the Texans being the fourth team Cooks will be playing for in the past five seasons, his ability to adjust to new surroundings could serve him well this season.

His overall consensus ADP has him being selected in the eighth round of typical 12-team fantasy leagues, which makes him a potential value pick with plenty of upside. He does come with a bit of risk due to his history of suffering concussions, but if he plays 16 games look for him to catch at least 80 passes and six to eight TDs, and to compile 1100 or more receiving yards.

Verdict: BOOM

 

DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins

ADP: WR24, 56th Overall

It was a long time coming, but the Dolphins and many fantasy football players alike were thrilled as they were finally treated to a Devante Parker breakout season. Unfortunately, fantasy players looking for Parker to replicate his 72 catch, 1202-receiving yard, nine-TD season may be in for a bit of a letdown. While Chan Gailey being hired as the Dolphins’ new offensive coordinator might appear to bode well for Parker due to his use of three WR sets in his past offenses, there are a couple of factors that Parker will encounter this season that don’t work in his favor.

Preston Williams’ recovery from his torn ACL has progressed much faster than originally expected. He has looked “better than ever” in camp this summer. Williams’ return could result in fewer targets for Parker. He’ll still be a very busy receiver but Parker might have a tough time coming close to the 128 targets he received last season. In his eight games last season, Williams actually out targeted Parker 60 to 52. Parker’s, (and the rest of the Dolphins WRs for that matter), production might be limited with the Dolphins playing a schedule that is considered the hardest for WRs this season. The Dolphins open up the season with two road games. One in Baltimore and one in New England.

Lastly, Parker’s production could also be negatively impacted when the Dolphins inevitably replace veteran QB Ryan Fitzpatrick with rookie signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa. Obviously, no one is sure exactly when this will happen, but it’s going to happen. The Dolphins will probably make the change later in the season, which could cause Parker’s production to take a hit right around fantasy football playoff time. Parker’s consensus ADP makes him the 24th WR taken off the board in typical fantasy football drafts. By season’s end, he may have a hard time delivering on that fantasy production.

Verdict: BUST

 

Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons

ADP: WR17, 45th Overall

There are many signs that point to Ridley having a huge 2020 fantasy season. He’ll be playing in a great environment for wide receivers. The Falcons led the NFL with a 66.97 passing play percentage last season. Ridley led those pass-happy Falcons in TD receptions last season (7) and also led all WRs in average cushion (the number of yards between a WR/TE and the defender they’re lined up against at the time of snap on all targets.) He finished second among NFL receivers in DVOA (value per play over an average WR in same game situations).

Ridley has missed some games due to injury in his brief career, but per 16 games he averages 70 catches, 931 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. Before his 2019 season prematurely ended in Week 13 due to an abdominal injury, Ridley was on his way to a 1000 yard receiving season. He still scored the 19th most fantasy points per game among WRs in PPR scoring last season. Julio Jones is still the Falcons’ number one receiver, but Ridley has the potential to significantly narrow the gap between the two in 2020.

Verdict: BOOM



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!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Zane Smith

Has Upside in Mexico
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Cole Custer

Is Cole Custer a DFS Option in Mexico?
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Hunter Brown

s Records 12 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Royce Lewis

to be Placed on Injured List
Byron Buxton

Exits Early on Saturday
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Jacob Misiorowski

Expected to Make Next Start
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Charlie Morton

Continues Good Work With 10 Strikeouts
James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Isaac Paredes

Astros Hopeful Isaac Paredes Can Avoid the Injured List
Royce Lewis

Dealing With Hamstring Strain
Kodai Senga

Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain
Gleyber Torres

Goes Deep Twice on Friday
Jonathan India

Leaves With Apparent Shoulder Injury
Evan Carter

Leaves Early With Wrist Soreness
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
A.J. Puk

Pauses Throwing Program
Matt Chapman

Can Begin Rehabbing in a Week
Logan Gilbert

Next Start Could Come in the Big Leagues
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Yordan Alvarez

Still Not Hitting
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Jacob Wilson

Returns on Friday
Justin Martinez

Out 12-13 Months With UCL Sprain
Will Johnson

Returns to Practice
Harold Fannin Jr.

Could Have Big Role in Rookie Season
Quentin Johnston

Still Running With Starters
Rashawn Slater

Takes Part in Minicamp
Jack Bech

Mostly Working With Second-Team Offense
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Chris Kreider

Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider From Rangers
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Cale Makar

Wins His Second Norris Trophy
Lane Hutson

Voted NHL's Best Rookie
CGY

Adam Klapka Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Considered a Game-Time Call Thursday
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Kevin Porter Jr.

Likely to Decline Player Option
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Kevin Durant

Knicks Not Looking to Trade for Kevin Durant
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
Darius Garland

Kings Targeting Darius Garland
Kevin Durant

Expected to Be Moved Soon
Denny Hamlin

Charges Late to Win at Michigan
Carson Hocevar

Michigan Run is Derailed by A Late-Race Flat Tire
Kyle Larson

Up-and-Down Day Ends With Top-Five Finish at Michigan
Ross Chastain

Quietly Finishes Sixth at Michigan
Corey Perry

Nets Power-Play Goal in Monday's Loss
Chris Buescher

Takes Second Place After William Byron Runs Out of Fuel
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Has a Great Points Day to Build Buffer Over the Playoff Cut Line
Ryan Blaney

Flat Tire Results in Poor Finish for Ryan Blaney
Alex Bowman

Playoffs in Doubt After Stage 2 Crash at Michigan
Sean O'Malley

Submitted For The First Time In His Career
Merab Dvalishvili

Defends Bantamweight Belt At UFC 316
Julianna Peña

Julianna Pena No Longer A Champion
Kayla Harrison

Is The New Champion
Joe Pyfer

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum

Drops Decision
Patchy Mix

Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
Mario Bautista

Extends His Win Streak
Vicente Luque

Submitted At UFC 316
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF