Omar Cooper Jr. has been on fire since returning to the Jets’ lineup. After missing Weeks 2 through 5, he posted 22.3 PPR points against New England and 22.5 against Miami, catching 11 of 12 targets for 218 yards and two touchdowns across those games. Now he gets a Las Vegas defense that has given up big plays and touchdowns to receivers. Find out whether you should start or sit Omar Cooper Jr. in Week 8.
Omar Cooper Jr. Start or Sit Advice for Week 8
His season-long numbers undersell the role. Cooper’s 6.6% target share reflects the four games he missed, but since returning, he has averaged six targets per game, the kind of involvement that puts him among the Jets’ top options behind Garrett Wilson. He has also drawn two red zone targets and scored in both games since coming back.
What he does with those targets has been exceptional. Cooper has caught 12 of his 13 targets on the season, a 92.3% catch rate, and he is averaging 19.1 yards per target and 20.7 yards per catch. He has added 112 YAC on those 12 receptions, so he is creating after the catch as well as winning at the catch point.
Las Vegas gives him room to keep it going. The Raiders allow 31.4 PPR points per game to wide receivers, right around the league average of 31.5, but they have surrendered eight receiving touchdowns, well above the league mark of 5.8. Receivers are also averaging 15.7 yards per catch against them, compared with a league average of 13.0. The Raiders have faced Miami, the Chargers, New Orleans, Kansas City, New England, Buffalo and the Rams, a group throwing right around league average against them, so the numbers are an honest read.
The Biggest Fantasy Risk for Omar Cooper Jr. in Week 8
The efficiency is not sustainable. A 92.3% catch rate and 19.1 yards per target are numbers that rarely hold up over a full season, and when they regress, a receiver averaging six targets per game will see his production fall with them. Two touchdowns on 12 targets since his return also leans heavily on scoring.
New York’s passing game limits the volume. The Jets throw just 29.6 times per game and generate 28.1 targets per game, and Wilson commands 7.3 of those along with 39.1% of the team’s air yards. Adonai Mitchell has also averaged six targets per game in his three appearances, adding another mouth to feed. The Jets score just 19.6 points per game and convert 45.0% of their red zone trips, which caps the scoring chances available to Cooper.
Las Vegas also brings pressure. The Raiders have 16 sacks this season, slightly above the league average of 15.0, and they hold receivers to a 56.8% catch rate. That could cut down the clean targets Cooper has been converting.
Fantasy Outlook for Omar Cooper Jr. in Week 8
Cooper is a Start in Week 8 as a high-upside FLEX. His role has been clearly established since his return, and Las Vegas has allowed touchdowns and big plays to receivers all season.
Expect some regression from his remarkable efficiency, but the matchup and his involvement give him a real path to another useful line. Fantasy managers covering byes from the Giants, Saints, Texans and 49ers can confidently plug him into a FLEX spot, keeping in mind that his floor is lower than his recent production suggests.