Amari Cooper: Fantasy Football Projection for 2017
Amari Cooper
This is a big season for Amari Cooper, who is entering his third year in the NFL and is already an appealing name in fantasy circles. This could be the year that he finally has that big breakout season that everyone has been predicting because while he's been good through the first two years of his career, he hasn’t been great.
2016 Season Recap
He finished just outside of the top 20 fantasy wide receivers in standard leagues as a rookie in 2015 with 72 catches for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns on 130 targets. He improved upon those numbers (83-1,153-5 on 132 targets), last season, making him a borderline top-15 fantasy option.
What most people forget is that teammate Michael Crabtree posted better stats than Cooper both seasons, but Cooper is the one with far greater upside. He just needs to be more consistent. In 2016, Cooper had six games with double-digit fantasy points (standard league), but he also had seven games with six points or fewer.
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2017 Expectations
Expect Cooper to take another step forward this season, especially with quarterback Derek Carr ready to go for the start of training camp after breaking his leg in Week 16. The best part is Cooper’s floor is so much higher than other potential breakout wide receivers being drafted around him – names like Dez Bryant, Doug Baldwin and DeAndre Hopkins. If you’re looking for a prediction, here is how bullish I am on Cooper’s outlook: 90-100 receptions, 1,350-1,450 yards, 10-12 touchdowns.
Where to Draft
Should Cooper come close to my projection, that type of production would easily vault him into WR1 territory and make him a steal on draft day at his current ADP (WR10, 23rd overall). Cooper is worth drafting as a low-end No. 1 WR in Round 2 in all formats.
— Written by Michael Horvath, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Horvath is a Canadian who also happens to be a fantasy football (not to be confused with CFL) and fitness nut. Follow him on Twitter @realmikehorvath.
And don’t forget to pick up your copy of Athlon Sports’ 2017 Fantasy Football magazine, available for purchase online and at newsstands everywhere.
