Aug 25, 2025 6:49 PM EDT
After waiting all offseason to find the right situation, free-agent wide receiver Amari Cooper opted to re-sign with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he played from 2015-17.
The freshly turned 31-year-old last played with the Buffalo Bills after being sent over from the Cleveland Browns midway through the 2024 season, finishing the year with 14 appearances between the teams. He began the season by producing a 24-250-2 line in Cleveland and generated 20 catches, 297 yards, and two more scores with the Bills.
The 6-foot-2, 211-pound veteran has seven 1,000-plus-yard campaigns during his 10 NFL seasons, though he has completed a full slate just once since 2020 due to rash of minor injuries.
Is Amari Cooper Worth Drafting in 2025 Fantasy Leagues?
In a word, yes, but his ceiling is rather low, especially in Vegas. He has a new quarterback with whom to build chemistry, a new offense to learn, and will compete with multiple other targets in a run-based offensive game plan. Despite all of this working against Cooper, it’s worth noting he’s just one season removed from a 1,250-yard showing in Cleveland. But, like with many aged receivers, the wheels tend to fall of quickly.
Cooper will battle the likes of star tight end Brock Bowers, slot receiver Tre Tucker, RB Ashton Jeanty, rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. for targets from quarterback Geno Smith. The one name potentially absent from this list is the team’s top wideout, Jakobi Meyers, who requested a trade the same day Cooper agreed to terms. Make of it what you will, but it’s tough to view that as coincidental.
Under offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and head coach Pete Carroll, the Raiders will emphasize a ground-control offense and throw at a lower percentage than most teams. Cooper has never scored double-digit touchdowns in a season but remains a precise route runner for moving the chains. He still has some deep speed, too.
This signing is more important to the real-life Raiders than any of our fantasy squads. At best, Coop is a No. 4 fantasy option in point-per-reception (PPR) scoring formats of at least 12 teams, and he’s more reasonably a WR5 for roster depth to cover a bye or injury. Don’t get caught up in his name value, but it’s worth noting he will rise to high-end WR3 status if the Raiders part with Meyers.
About the Author
Cory Bonini
Fantasy Sports Managing Editor
Since 2002, Bonini has been a leading fantasy football expert, featured in Sports Weekly, Pro Forecast, Cheat Sheets, and Fantasy Index magazines, with frequent appearances on ESPN Radio, SiriusXM, and various podcasts.