BrandinCooks

News: 2 days agoCooks departed Thursday's practice early due to knee soreness, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Spin: Cooks reportedly pulled up gingerly during a route during Wednesday's joint practice with the Rams, which could be how his knee soreness originated. The veteran wide receiver's injury doesn't currently look too serious, but with No. 1 wideout CeeDee Lamb (contract dispute) still holding out from camp, any time missed by Cooks could significantly impact the first-team offense in pass-catching drills. As long as Cooks is sidelined, Jalen Tolbert will have an opportunity to handle an increased role at practice.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Cooks averaged 10.8 fantasy points during his first season with the Cowboys, making him barely a top-50 fantasy WR, with the highlight being a surprising eight touchdown receptions. The overall production, however, was below expectations. The 30-year-old Cooks boasts six seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards for four other franchises, but he has been held to less than 700 yards in consecutive seasons, a troubling trend. The Cowboys throw a lot -- no team had more completions in 2023 -- but Cooks is no longer more than a reliable WR4 fantasy option, especially when his touchdown rate from last season regresses.