Should I Start Amari Cooper in Week 3? WR Fantasy Football Rankings Analysis

The Browns have been an incredibly disappointing passing offense to start the year. Quarterback Deshaun Watson looks like a shell of his former self, which has resulted in a bottom-10 passing attack across the league with 177 yards per game. 

The low production through the air has really hurt the Browns' pass-catchers, as Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, and David Njoku have been big letdowns thus far.

Can Cooper and the Browns turn it around? Should you start Cooper in Week 3 against Tennessee? Let's get to it. 

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Amari Cooper Fantasy Football Outlook

Cooper was looking like he was going to miss last week's prime time game in Pittsburgh after suffering a groin injury against the Bengals but ended up playing and leading the Browns in receiving (seven receptions, 90 yards).

The veteran receiver got in limited practice sessions Thursday and Friday and was removed from the injury report altogether heading into the weekend. It looks like Cooper will be all systems go for this next matchup with Tennessee, and it’s a phenomenal one to target. 

As the Texans are generally the cure for struggling running backs, the same can be said of Tennessee’s defense for wide receivers. The Titans were dead last in the NFL a year ago in points allowed to WRs, allowing an average of 40.1 PPR points per game. CB Sean Murphy-Bunting was a nice free-agent pickup by the organization to help shore up some holes in the secondary, but beyond that, not much has changed. 

Opposing WR1s have shredded Mike Vrabel’s secondary this year. Chris Olave went for 112 yards on eight catches, and 31-year-old Keenan Allen had a monster day with eight receptions, 110 yards, and two touchdowns. Allen’s performance placed him at WR1 on the week. 

Not only is this a great matchup for Cooper, but superstar running back Nick Chubb was lost for the season on a torn MCL last week. While Chubb did keep defenses honest by forcing them to key more on the run, the injury may lead to the Browns relying on their top pass-catching weapon more often moving forward.

Amari Cooper Wide Receiver Rankings Analysis

Cooper comes in at #18 among wideouts, per RotoBaller’s staff rankings for Week 3. He hasn’t yet outperformed his weekly ranking this year, but this is his best shot by far.

The ex-Cowboy is slotted just above Mike Williams, Tyler Lockett, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Godwin, with Mike Evans and Tee Higgins coming in a few spots ahead.

Other than maybe Williams and Evans, I’d argue that Cooper has the highest upside of all these names in Week 3, especially if Joe Burrow doesn’t play. 

Should I Start Amari Cooper In Week 3 Fantasy Football?

Yes. Cooper should be in all lineups against a porous Tennessee pass defense that continually gets torched week over week, especially by the opposing team's top receiver. 

If Deshaun Watson isn’t able to get it done at home against this secondary, I think that gives us a definitive answer on whether or not he still has it. Even if he isn’t the elite player he once was, the former Houston star should be able to move the ball this week and his primary target will be Cooper. The Browns' top wideout should be started with confidence in Week 3 and is also a major potential DFS value at only $5700 on DraftKings.

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