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
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Why Jared Cook Will Be Overdrafted Everywhere in 2019

Imagine yourself back in Week 7 of the 2017 NFL regular season. In what would turn out to be an offensive battle that had many fantasy owners jumping out of their seats, the Kansas City Chiefs made their way to Oakland Coliseum for a bout with the Raiders on Thursday Night Football to kick off the week.

I'm not going to draw your attention to the fact that both starting quarterbacks averaged over eight yards per pass attempt and threw for three touchdowns each, nor will I highlight the stellar receiving performances of wideouts Tyreek Hill and Amari Cooper. This article is all about number 87, the athletic tight end whose statistics in this game sparked a hype train that is currently chugging along for 2019 fantasy drafts.

That's right. We are talking about former Titans, Rams, Packers, Raiders, and current Saints tight end Jared Cook and why he will be overdrafted everywhere this upcoming fantasy season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

The Breakout Game and Incredible 2018 Season

Prior to the 2017 season, Jared Cook had been somewhat of an anomalous tight end in fantasy football circles. Coming out of South Carolina, Cook fit the mold for a tight end who could achieve fantasy production through the air with a SPARQ score ranked in the 91st percentile. There is no denying Cook's athleticism as an explosive cutter in the open field with exceptional speed and agility. However, the notable criticism that threatened to keep Cook from the large snap share associated with top fantasy tight ends was his lack of bulk and ability as a blocker.

For a player with the requisite skill set to be a mismatch for defenses, Cook only managed to crack the top ten for fantasy tight ends in standard scoring formats once across his first eight seasons in the league. Joining an Oakland Raiders team with a desperate need for big-play threats in the 2017 offseason was a chance to finally show off the promise that fantasy owners had been craving since he entered the league, and Cook made sure to do it on a big stage to get the message across. In a Thursday Night Football game in Week 7 of the 2017 NFL season with the fantasy community watching, Cook hauled in eight receptions for 126 yards to help the Raiders come away with a win and likely propelled many fantasy owners to that same outcome in their matchups.

Although the remainder of the year was fairly pedestrian, the same could not be said for the following season. Cook saw the most targets of any Raiders pass catcher in 2018 and caught 68 of the 99 balls thrown in his direction. The hyper-athletic tight end who didn't look like he would ever live up to his potential finished the year with career-highs in receiving yards (896) and receiving touchdowns (6) and ended up as the sixth-best tight end in standard formats.

 

Pumping the Brakes on a Guaranteed Top-Eight Fantasy Finish

Fantasy owners have been riding the highs of a season of personal bests for Cook and the potential of being the feature tight end for the New Orleans Saints, with his average draft position ("ADP") in 12-team standard formats skyrocketing from the 12.05 to the 7.06 pick in a matter of months. Let's pump the brakes a bit and think about why Cook could easily finish below his TE-8 ranking.

Be Wary of Buying in on Cook Because of his 2018 Success

The fact that Cook led the Raiders in receiving yards and touchdowns in 2018 is less a testament to his ability and more to opportunity. As easily the most prolific athlete in a putrid group of pass-catchers that included a past-his-prime Jordy Nelson as its No. 1 wideout and a backup running back as the team's second-leading receiver, it made complete sense to feature Cook all over the field.

As I reviewed Cook's statistics from his top-five fantasy finish, I couldn't help but compare his production to former Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge's "breakout" 2015 season when he led the team in receiving yards and touchdowns. While the two boast radically different athletic profiles (i.e. Cook is much better equipped as a receiver), there are a number of similarities that are hard to ignore.

The 2018 Oakland Raiders offense and 2015 Cleveland Browns offense threw for roughly the same number of passing yards (4,057 and 4,156, respectively) and featured very few offensive weapons. A quick gloss of that Browns squad shows a fourth-year Travis Benjamin as its No. 1 wideout and a backup running back being the team's third-leading receiver. In addition, Cook and Barnidge had nearly identical target shares (19.1% and 20.2%, respectively), with a particularly noteworthy comparison coming in their red zone target percentages (29.6% and 27.0%). These workhorse-level target shares contributed to a TE-6 finish for Cook and a TE-2 finish for Barnidge. Finally, Barnidge's ADP for fantasy drafts in the following season shot up to pick 7.09 from being undrafted the previous season.

Barnidge would end up struggling in 2016 and finishing as the TE-20. While Barnidge's situation deteriorated to an extent that isn't readily comparable to Cook's offseason move, his story is a good lesson to not gush over a tight end simply because of one prolific season where the pieces fell in place for a perfect year.

Are the Saints Truly a Dream Destination?

Fantasy owners reflect back on the historically great connection between quarterback Drew Brees and tight end Jimmy Graham when touting the argument that a Saints tight end could have an outstanding year. However, since Graham's departure, the only Saints tight end to finish in the top-12 in standard formats was Benjamin Watson in 2015. Across all pass catchers on the Saints roster over the years, tight ends subsequently ranked fourth, sixth, and third in total targets leading up to 2019.

The vertical element that Cook adds to the receiving game could help him buck the trend, but I don't completely buy into that. Cook is 32 years of age and coming into a Saints offense that has become more balanced over the years, with Drew Brees's passing yards declining over his last three seasons. Furthermore, wide receiver Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara dominated the team's targets in 2018 with a combined 252 targets. The best-case scenario for Cook is to take over the 46 vacated looks from Benjamin Watson with the potential to take over a few from Thomas and Kamara, but it will still be a far cry from the situation that helped him finish as the TE-6 with Oakland.

A Rough Start Could Disappoint

According to Pro Football Focus, Oakland has one of the toughest opening schedules for the tight end position in fantasy football. The four teams they play are particularly strong on the defensive side of the football (Texans, Rams, Seahawks, and Cowboys), meaning fantasy owners will likely have to wait for their seventh-round draft capital to flourish.

 

How to Approach Jared Cook on Draft Day

Everyone knows that the big three of Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Zach Ertz are flying off the shelf early. If you are left to wait on a tight end, drafting Cook could be an enticing option. There are certainly a number of red flags to compare against the potential for success when drafting him, but perhaps the largest knock against taking Cook at his seventh-round ADP is the players you will have to forgo to get him. Players like Jarvis Landry (6.08), Tarik Cohen (6.09), James White (7.01), Will Fuller (7.06), and Allen Robinson (7.08) could all be on the board by the time Cook comes on to your radar. Although you are not missing out on a top-tier talent with any of those players, the risk of losing guaranteed touches to draft a tight end whose potential is anything but guaranteed weighs heavy.

Pay careful attention to how Cook's stock moves around through the month of August. Fantasy owners should avoid overpaying for a player whose hype train is built on the fruits of a perfect situation and prospective success with a new team.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

MMA3 mins ago

Cong Wang Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo5 mins ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak At UFC Macau
Petr Yan7 mins ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Yves Missi33 mins ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
CJ McCollum45 mins ago

Not Likely To Play Friday
Alexander Mattison57 mins ago

Zamir White Miss Practice Again
Brandon Ingram1 hour ago

Questionable For Friday
Shohei Ohtani1 hour ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge1 hour ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Ja'Kobe Walter1 hour ago

Ready To Go Thursday
Donte DiVincenzo1 hour ago

Available Thursday
Mike Conley2 hours ago

Will Not Play Thursday
Jordan Clarkson2 hours ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Ausar Thompson2 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Zach Collins2 hours ago

Cleared To Play Thursday
Domantas Sabonis2 hours ago

Gets Through Full Practice
Chris Paul2 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Brock Purdy2 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Malik Monk2 hours ago

Making Progress
George Kittle2 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Tre Mann2 hours ago

Good To Go On Thursday
Miles Bridges2 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Vince Williams Jr.3 hours ago

Out At Least A Month
Scottie Barnes3 hours ago

Returning On Thursday
Alex Ovechkin3 hours ago

To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Fibula
Paul George3 hours ago

Out At Least Two Games
Aaron Gordon3 hours ago

Availability In Question For Friday
Zach Hyman3 hours ago

Expected To Miss 4-7 Days
Kent Johnson3 hours ago

Back For Blue Jackets Thursday
Dorian Finney-Smith3 hours ago

Uncertain To Face The Sixers
Yaroslav Askarov3 hours ago

Makes Sharks Debut Thursday
Jalen Hurts3 hours ago

Practices In Full On Thursday
Nicolas Claxton3 hours ago

Questionable Versus Philly
Nikola Jokic3 hours ago

Absent From Practice On Thursday
Mikael Granlund3 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Alexandar Georgiev3 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Capitals
TB4 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Will Miss Thursday's Game
Frederik Andersen4 hours ago

To Miss 8-12 Weeks
Jake Ferguson4 hours ago

Still Not Practicing
Sam LaPorta4 hours ago

Looking Good For A Week 12 Return
Sam Darnold4 hours ago

Upgrades To Full Participation, On Track To Play
Isiah Pacheco4 hours ago

Remains Limited On Thursday
D'Andre Swift4 hours ago

Upgrades To Limited Participant On Thursday
CeeDee Lamb4 hours ago

Sidelined During Thursday's Practice
Ladd McConkey5 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Thursday
Mike Evans5 hours ago

Logs Full Practice On Thursday
DeVonta Smith6 hours ago

Misses Another Practice
Cody Bellinger6 hours ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
Brandin Cooks7 hours ago

Preparing To Play In Week 12
CeeDee Lamb7 hours ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
7 hours ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Aaron Rodgers7 hours ago

Jets Owner Suggested Benching Aaron Rodgers
Mike Evans9 hours ago

Practicing Again On Thursday
Chandler Stephenson10 hours ago

Registers Three Assists Versus Predators
Jason Robertson10 hours ago

Totals Three Points In Wednesday's Win
Nils Lundkvist10 hours ago

Exits Early With A Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Knies10 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund10 hours ago

Exits Late With Injury Wednesday
Patrik Laine11 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Chris Sale22 hours ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal22 hours ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat24 hours ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English24 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin24 hours ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy24 hours ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Josh Jacobs1 day ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Seth Jones1 day ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold1 day ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts1 day ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram1 day ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen1 day ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
Alex Tuch1 day ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Jordan Eberle1 day ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
Ludvig Aberg1 day ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim1 day ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole1 day ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
2 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers2 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil3 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes3 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
James Llontop4 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Week 12 Predictions: Picks and Analysis for Every Game Including Thursday Night Football

After some high-octane matchups over the last couple of Thursday nights, Week 12 kicks off in a more old-school fashion with a classic rivalry game between the Steelers and Browns. There are some fun matchups on this Week 12 slate, however, "Bye-Mageddon" certainly does take a little of the sizzle away, as six teams will […]


TJ Watt - IDP, Pittsburgh Steelers, DST, Defense, Fantasy Football Def

Week 12 Fantasy Football Team Defense Rankings: Steelers D/ST, Chiefs D/ST, Vikings D/ST, Eagles D/ST, Commanders D/ST, Texans D/ST, Broncos D/ST

Fantasy football defenses are largely matchup-dependent, so many fantasy managers opt to stream a different defense each week. If you're in that boat, use our Week 12 fantasy football defense (D/ST) rankings for 2024 to find the top available option. There are just three weeks of the fantasy football regular season left, so it's never […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Steelers vs. Browns TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jameis Winston, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens

The Week 12 TNF game between two bitter AFC North rivals (Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers) is not likely to end up like the Thursday night game from two weeks ago when two different AFC North teams (Bengals and Ravens) battled to a 35-34 shootout. Somewhere deep in the charter of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I […]


DJ Moore - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Deebo Samuel, D.J. Moore, Jerry Jeudy, Jonathon Brooks, Jauan Jennings, Tank Dell

Many fantasy managers are in must-win situations down the stretch, so it's never been more important to ace your start-or-sit calls. Our Week 12 TNF fantasy football overall rankings for 2024 are here to help. Ahead of the critical Week 12 slate of action, let's find out where players on the start-sit bubble such as […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) - Week 12 Thursday Updates for Chuba Hubbard, Calvin Ridley, Cedric Tillman, Jonnu Smith, Austin Ekeler

It's always tough to compare two flex options at different positions, but bye weeks and key injuries have made those start-sit decisions even tougher. We're here to help guide you with your lineup calls with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Navigate the rankings below to find out where top flex […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Superflex 2QB Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Tua Tagovailoa, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Austin Ekeler, Jayden Reed

Time is running out to collect "Ws" before the fantasy football playoffs begin, and if you need assistance, our Week 12 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for fantasy football can assist your start-or-sit efforts. Let's get to it! To begin Week 12 preparation, let's dig into the rankings to find out where key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Running Back Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday RB Updates for Jonathon Brooks, J.K. Dobbins, Bucky Irving, Najee Harris, Kareem Hunt

We're onto Week 12 of the NFL campaign, which can only mean the fantasy football playoffs are just ahead. Whether you're at the top of your league standings, fighting for a playoff spot, or are just trying to play spoiler, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football running back rankings for 2024 are here to help you […]


Cedric Tillman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

TNF Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday WR Updates for Cedric Tillman, Jauan Jennings, Josh Downs, Jerry Jeudy, DJ Moore

At the wide receiver spot especially, bye weeks and injuries are major factors in Week 12. If you don't have an excess of must-start WRs and need help identifying the top available options, we're here to help with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive in below to see […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Tight End Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday TE Updates for George Kittle, David Njoku, Will Dissly, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry

In most leagues, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain. If you desperately need a win to clinch a first-round bye or quality for the playoffs, use our Week 12 TNF fantasy football tight end rankings to help you with tough start-or-sit calls at the challenging TE spot. Ahead of the critical Week […]


Tommy DeVito- Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Not All Heroes...Play On Good Teams - Giants, Patriots, and Cowboys Fantasy Football Outlooks

It's well-known at this point that good offenses can help their players light up the scoreboards in fantasy football leagues. The mantra "trust in good players on good offenses" rings true, and some of the best seasons in fantasy football history have been aided by things like good playcalling and a good supporting cast. The […]


Baker Mayfield - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

TNF Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday QB Updates for Anthony Richardson, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix, C.J. Stroud

It's a critical week for fantasy football, as the playoffs are just around the corner. If you need help to nail your optimal lineups this week, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024 are here to assist. Ahead of the all-important Week 12 slate, let's navigate the rankings below and find out […]


Jaylen Waddle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook - What's Wrong With Waddle?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was widely pushed as a potential league-winner in fantasy football in 2024 due to a variety of factors. The explosiveness and big-play ability of the Dolphins offense, the good play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and his talent were a few of them. It's not worked out that way. It's […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates for Isiah Pacheco, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Jalen Hurts, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Hurts, George Kittle, Calvin Ridley, more

Week 12 of the NFL's 2024 slate is coming up, and as the fantasy football playoffs draw closer, it's becoming more important than ever to stay ahead of injury news for key players. Leaving a hurt player in your lineup can result in disaster. The author of this article missed out on the fantasy playoffs […]