RADIO
Amari Cooper 2021 Outlook: Still Top Target in Dallas
4 years agoIn a lost season for the Dallas Cowboys, wide receiver Amari Cooper managed to go for 1,114 yards on a career-best 92 receptions. This came despite having to catch passes from a combination of Andy Dalton, Garrett Gilbert, and Ben DiNucci once Dak Prescott fractured his ankle in Week 5. The addition of rookie CeeDee Lamb brought more competition for targets but it didn't affect Cooper, who led the team in targets, catches, and yards. Many expect Lamb to take a step forward and usurp the WR1 role but it may be hard to distinguish between the two. Lamb spends most of his time in the slot but Cooper took 383 snaps in the slot compared to 492 in an outside alignment. Cooper's 8.7 aDoT was lower than Lamb's 9.3 and Michael Gallup's 11.8 but his target volume gives him the edge. He also led the team in red zone targets with 14. Ultimately, Cooper and Lamb will serve as 1A and 1B in this passing attack that should thrive with Prescott back at the helm. The two receivers are being taken right next to each other in fantasy drafts as WR14 and WR15 so it's simply a matter of personal preference when it comes to decision-making time.
