When Is Brandin Cooks Coming Back - Fantasy Football Injury Return Update for Week 7 (2024)

Brandin Cooks (knee) has developed an infection in his knee, which will force him to miss at least the next four games for the Dallas Cowboys.

The team will monitor his recovery closely, but the infection requires time to heal properly before he can return to action. This is a tough blow for both the Cowboys' offense and fantasy managers who have relied on Cooks' big-play potential.

Cooks has already sat for two of the four weeks and the expectation is that the wideout will try to make a return by Week 10 against the Eagles.

With his absence, Dallas will likely look to other receivers to step up and fill the void, but Cooks' speed and veteran presence will be sorely missed during this stretch.

Fantasy managers should continue to hold him on an IR spot until he returns to practice.

#Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks will miss this week's game vs. the #Steelers, and possibly more, after developing a knee infection following a procedure in New York, per @toddarcher. Another big loss for Dallas. pic.twitter.com/i3FIcQnLxG

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 2, 2024

When Brandin Cooks returns from IR, he can be viewed as a WR3 in fantasy football with significant boom potential.

Despite Dallas struggling as a whole this year, Cooks’ ability to stretch the field with his speed gives him the upside for big plays, making him a high-risk, high-reward option in fantasy lineups.

While the Cowboys' offense has been inconsistent, Cooks’ experience and deep-threat capability make him a valuable target when healthy, especially in favorable matchups.

As long as he integrates back into the offense smoothly, he has the potential to deliver explosive performances, even if his week-to-week floor remains lower.

Dak to Brandin Cooks! First Cowboys TD of the year!

📺: #DALvsCLE on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/VQ2JNW3GE1

— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024