Offense in the AFC East just got a whole lot better. Hours after the Jets made headlines with a long-anticipated trade for Davante Adams on Tuesday, the Bills grabbed a star wide receiver of their own. Buffalo agreed to terms with the Browns on a deal for five-time Pro-Bowler Amari Cooper, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
In return for Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick, Cleveland acquires a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round pick. It’s a major move for a 4-2 Bills team eyeing a Super Bowl run, and a clear signal that the 1-5 Browns are rebuilding.
Which players can expect an increase, or decline, in production as a result of this deal? Is this a slam-dunk for Buffalo, or will Cooper disrupt team chemistry? Could Cleveland’s anemic offense improve without their No. 1 target? While we don’t have all the answers, here are some early winners and losers from this Week 7 blockbuster:
Winner: Josh Allen
Much of the discourse surrounding the Bills this offseason has been related to their lack of a true top receiver. While Khalil Shakir has gotten the job done, rookie wideout Keon Coleman hasn’t shown consistency and offseason pickup Curtis Samuel has been virtually non-existent.
Josh Allen, because he is Josh Allen, has still gotten the job done, leading the NFL’s seventh-highest scoring offense. Still, that mark is deceiving, as the Bills are just 21st in yards per game and 25th in passing yards per game. Buffalo has been winning primarily due to an efficient run game and an opportunistic defense, a shift from what we’ve seen in years past. Those traits are great for winning football games, but the Bills’ preferred mode of scoring touchdowns is still through the air.
Adding Cooper opens up the entire offense. Allen has been good, not great, in fantasy so far (QB5). Given that he was throwing to unproven youngsters and washed-up veterans, that makes sense. Adding a proven 1,000-yard receiver to an already dangerous team? Expect plenty of big plays from Allen to Cooper in the second half.
Loser: Khalil Shakir
As previously mentioned, Shakir has been one of the early breakout stories of the fantasy season. Despite a poor showing last Monday against the Jets (two receptions for 19 yards), the slot specialist has led Buffalo in receiving yards (249) despite playing in only five games. Considering his cheap draft price, the speedster was delivering plenty of value to managers who snatched him up late.
While he should remain a focal point of the Bills’ offense, the third-year veteran’s stock definitely takes a tumble with Cooper in town. Shakir was already out-performing expectations in 2024, as his 13.2% target share was below the likes of Tyler Boyd and Jalen Tolbert. In his career, Allen has never supported multiple 1,000-yard players, and has supported two 800-yard pass catchers only twice. Shakir could still be a decent enough flex option going forward, but it’s hard to envision him as someone you can rely on following this trade.
Winner: David Njoku
Surely someone has to benefit from this move in Cleveland, right? The Browns’ offense has been mired in atrocious play across the board, with Deshaun Watson regressing into one of the NFL’s worst passers. With Cooper gone, Jerry Jeudy is the only player on the roster with more than 100 receiving yards after six games. It’s hard to imagine things could get much worse, but it’s also hard to imagine they could get better.
Although Jeudy is sure to snag more catches, the biggest beneficiary will be David Njoku. The tight end has battled injuries all season, missing three contests due to ankle issues. His return to action over the past two weeks hasn’t been great, recording a combined six catches for 45 yards. However, we are less than a year removed from the veteran posting a career-best 882-yard, six-touchdown campaign. Over 14 games played with Watson behind center, Njoku is averaging nearly six targets a game.
Now that Cooper and his 26.5% target share (seventh-highest in NFL) are gone, there’s a ton of passes up for grabs. The Browns are last in football on yards per pass attempt (5.2), so there’s no reason to think they won’t pepper their big TE on short-field routes. Considering how poorly he and the Cleveland offense have played, Njoku is a sneaky value play managers can pick up for dirt cheap.
Loser: Dalton Kincaid
Perhaps the biggest fantasy loser is Dalton Kincaid. Not only does the Cooper deal add another mouth to feed, but it signals a philosophical shift. In the offseason, the expectation was that the Bills would lean on the former first-round pick rather than go out and grab an expensive wide receiver. So far, Kincaid has disappointed, hauling in a modest 21 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown.
If there was any hope of a rebound into elite TE territory, Tuesday’s news all but ruins it. Allen has never really been one to throw to tight ends, and he now has two capable targets on the outside. Sprinkle in some James Cook out of the backfield, and it’s hard to envision Kincaid finishing inside the top five at his position. Long-term, Buffalo’s ability to retain Cooper also spells out trouble:
The Bills’ front office certainly hasn’t given up on Kincaid, who is just games into his second year in the NFL. However, any dreams of him becoming a Travis Kelce-esque target monster have been put on hold for the foreseeable future.
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