Brandin Cooks' fantasy numbers won't be as inflated after move to Patriots

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Here are the fantasy implications of the New Orleans Saints trading WR Brandin Cooks to the New England Patriots:

While a move to play with future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady and the Super Bowl champion Patriots would normally enhance the fantasy prospects of most wide receivers, that doesn't look to be the case for Cooks.

The Saints, Cooks' former club, play their home games in a dome, have an all-time great quarterback of their own in Drew Brees, and have had, in recent years, a terrible defense that has forced the offense to pile up as many points as possible in hopes of staying competitive.

In 2016, New Orleans finished first in passing yards and second in points; in 2015, the club ranked first and eighth in those categories, respectively. Cooks led the team in receiving yards in both of those years, his second and third full seasons.

Altogether, Cooks has totaled 162 catches, 246 targets, 2,311 yards and 17 touchdowns over his last two seasons after a 10-game rookie campaign in which he caught 53 passes for 550 yards and three scores.

As a Patriot, though, he'll fill the role of vertical threat, with the 6-foot-1 Chris Hogan (36-680-4 last season) providing some size on the other side of the field. Add in Julian Edelman (98-1,106-3) working out of the slot and healthy-again TE Rob Gronkowski, and New England's offense looks as fearsome as any unit in the league.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

While the Saints have excelled in recent years for fantasy football purposes, they've gone a middling 7-9 in each of Cooks' three seasons.

Cooks is now going to a great, balanced team (the Patriots allowed a league-low 15.6 points per game last season and just signed Pro Bowl CB Stephen Gilmore) that has won two of the last three Super Bowls. Cooks' presence makes New England even better, but it's difficult to imagine the ball being forced his way as long as Edelman and Gronkowski are on the field.

That's not to say Cooks will be a bad fantasy option - New England finished third in points and fourth in yards per game last season, after all - but chances are, the Patriots won't be forced to play catch up on too many occasions.

A third straight 1,000-yard campaign certainly looks within reach, though who knows by how much his numbers were inflated by playing in New Orleans.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Fantasy Football Calculator pegs Cooks' average draft position entering the 2017 fantasy season at 37th overall, and 16th among wide receivers. He'd already been eclipsed by former Saints teammate Michael Thomas, who achieved a 92-1,137-9 receiving line as a rookie. Thomas is being drafted 19th overall and ninth at his position.

Gronkowski (23rd overall and first among tight ends) will likely again be the first New England pass-catcher drafted, but Cooks and Edelman won't be too far behind. Cooks will be a key cog in an undoubtedly prolific offense, but it's doubtful that he'll make the same fantasy impact as he did in New Orleans.