Cooper Kupp Fantasy
When it comes to Fantasy Football, many owners look at players and ask, “What have you done for me lately?” Some players can be viewed as one of the best in the sport one season and an afterthought the next. That seems to be what is happening with Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. He is one of the best wide receivers in football, but his inability to stay healthy has cost him the last two seasons. Kupp played nine games in 2022 and 12 games last season. But do not let those injuries take away from what Kupp did in 2021 and what he can do again. That season, he won the wide receiver triple-crown, reeling in 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. It was a historic season that resulted in him being the WR1 in fantasy football. Kupp enters 2024 at 31, but his current ADP (WR18) on Fantasy Data suggests he can make significant returns for fantasy owners this season.
One reason to believe in Kupp this season is because he will be a focal point of the Rams’ offense. The emergence of Puka Nacua has made many wonder if Kupp has taken a backseat in the offense, but that has not been the case. Kupp played 12 games last season; in those games, he received 95 targets compared to Nacua’s 102. That was even with one game where Kupp only played 18 snaps. However, Rams head coach Sean McVay recently stated that Kupp was “never truly healthy” last season. So even if Kupp is no longer the target hog he once was in the offense, he will still see the ball plenty. It is worth mentioning that news of a Nacua suffering a knee injury in training camp recently surfaced, forcing him to be “week to week.” If Nacua were to miss any time during the season, Kupp would be a weekly top-five wide receiver.
Another reason Kupp is bound for success is that he has built a bond with quarterback Matthew Stafford. Kupp has played 36 games with Stafford, and his stats are eye-opening. According to StatMuse, he has caught 274 passes for 3,449 yards and 28 touchdowns. Finding a more productive QB/WR duo in the NFL is hard. It helps that the Rams have an elite play-caller in McVay. He is one of the best offensive minds in football and has consistently found ways to construct an elite passing offense. Last season, the Rams were 14th in pass attempts, with 583, which was 14th in the NFL. That is good for 34.2 attempts per game. We last saw Stafford and Kupp play an entire season together in 2021. Kupp had a 31% target share that season, the best in the NFL. Every fantasy manager wants a player who will see plenty of touchdown production. The best way to predict touchdown output is by red zone target percentage. Kupp is a player who is frequently targeted in the red zone, and that is why he could see double-digit touchdowns. Last season, Kupp had 12 red zone receptions in only 12 games, ranking tied for 11th most in the NFL. That was three more red zone receptions than Nacua, who played the entire season. All signs point to Kupp dominating in the red zone and approaching double-digit touchdowns again.
The only thing that could derail Kupp from a dominant season is an injury to himself or Stafford. Both have been often injured over the past few seasons, which factors into his being drafted at a discount. It appears Kupp is back to full strength this offseason, and while it is impossible to predict injuries, you should feel good about Kupp having a healthy season.
As mentioned, Kupp is currently being drafted as WR18. Some players being selected around him are Mike Evans, Michael Pittman, and Stefon Diggs. Kupp is even being drafted well after Nacua, who has an ADP of WR7. There is no reason for such a discrepancy in ADP between the Rams receivers. Kupp has the track record and profile to suggest another top-10 fantasy season. If you can get him in the third or fourth round of drafts, consider yourself lucky.
