Veteran WR in a limited target share; contributes as a tertiary option behind Olave and Shaheed, with situational value when game plans loosen up.

Cooks whetted the appetite with a big early TD and pivotal catches, showcasing his big-play ability and route-running juice in the Saints’ explosive attack.

Cooks provides veteran presence behind Olave and Shaheed, offering a steady target and red-zone threat. His role could be tempered if Beckham signs, but he remains a scalable in-season option. In shallow leagues he’s a reasonable weekly FLEX, in deeper leagues a more marginal pick unless injuries reveal a larger role.

Brandin Cooks contributed four catches for 39 yards in Week 1, offering veteran reliability behind Olave. His role could stabilize NO’s passing game if the depth behind Olave remains thin, presenting a potential Week 2 value in deeper leagues.

Brandin Cooks is cited as a veteran target NO couldn’t recruit back. His name appears as a benchmark for the Saints’ WR plan, contrasting veteran depth with Davis’ decision and ongoing WR churn.