Amari Cooper Fantasy Outlook 2025: Should you draft 5x Pro Bowl WR after Raiders signing

Amari Cooper is back where his NFL career began. On Monday, the Las Vegas Raiders were reported to have signed the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver to a one-year deal in the wake of a trade request from Jakobi Meyers, who was their second-most prolific pass catcher in the 2024 season, after then-rookie tight end Brock Bowers.

Obviously, Cooper is not the same player he was once before, but is he still a viable fantasy option?

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

Amari Cooper's 2025 fantasy outlook

AFC Championship Game: Buffalo Bills v Kansas City Chiefs - Source: Getty

Cooper is projected to have approximately 37 receptions for 536 yards and three or four touchdowns. Those numbers are not exactly what new head coach Pete Carroll wants for someone who is expected to take some of the burden off of Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty.

With the next-best receiver currently being Tre Tucker, it raises questions about whether replacing Meyers with Cooper will be beneficial.

One thing that can be counted on, however, is his ability to produce strong performances when needed. He is one of only two players in NFL history to have 200+ yard games with three different teams, and while he obviously failed to do the same with the Buffalo Bills, he was a steady veteran leader for a corps that was still getting accustomed to big moments.

Is Amari Cooper a good pick in fantasy football this year?

NFL: DEC 08 Bills at Rams - Source: Getty

The draft expert consensus ranking (ECR) for Cooper sits just outside the Top 100 according to FantasyPros, indicating that while he is still a decent football player, he clearly is no longer at least great. His best draft ECR is WR60, while his worst goes down to WR199, which is a trend for wide receivers as they enter their mid-30s and become less explosive.

It is even worse in terms of average draft position (ADP). He has a consensus ranking of only #102 positionally and #320 overall - a far cry from when he would reliably be within the Top 100 in WR and Top 300 overall.

Should you draft Amari Cooper this year, and where?

Tennessee Titans v Buffalo Bills - Source: Getty

Based on the evidence above, one would be wise to avoid adding Amari Cooper to their fantasy football team this year.

All teams eventually must get younger, and the Raiders are offensively heading in that direction even with the league's oldest head coach. Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty figure to be the faces of a corps that will most likely focus on the power run and use the threat of it to maximize the passing game, and Cooper's dominating ways simply do not mesh well with that philosophy.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

Know More

Raiders Nation! Check out the latest Las Vegas Raiders Schedule and dive into the Raiders Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Andre Castillo