Amari Cooper, Clearly is Wide Receiver One

The Cleveland Browns were finally able to unlock the passing game yesterday in their 27-3 win over the Tennessee Titans, to move to 2-1 on the season. Despite having a recent injury and the Browns adding more talent to the position, one player continues to make plays on a consistent basis.

It's clear that Amari Cooper has exceeded all expectations since arriving to town last season. The Browns acquired Cooper from the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick in a move that would quickly turn out to be a steal for general manager Andrew Berry. Cooper would go on to have one of his better seasons, leading the team with 78 receptions, for 1,160 yards and 9 touchdowns.

If I am honest, my expectations for Cooper coming into this year were not high enough. With the addition of Elijah Moore and others added to the mix like Cedric Tillman and Marquis Goodwin, I thought we were likely to see a dip in Cooper's production. I mean he is another year older and coming off a surgery in the offseason, right?

 Through three games, those calculations have proven to be wrong and as long as Cooper remains healthy, will continue to be. Cooper has been outstanding the last two weeks in particular after a week-one game in wet field conditions. 

Against the Steelers, Cooper led the team with 7 catches for 90 yards and was really the only receiver Watson could get anything going with. Yesterday against the Titans, Cooper had one of his best games as a Brown. He caught 7 of his 8 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown. Those numbers could have added another 40 yards, as well as another touchdown, if not for a blown call on the sideline by an official that whistled the play dead.

Cooper is thriving on the boundary as he and Watson have begun to develop a special chemistry. It starts with Cooper as one of the games best route runners, while he does an excellent job of misdirecting cornerbacks with his hips, it is his shoulders and upper body that allow him to shake free and get a step on corners down the sideline.

Watson has looked good throwing balls to receivers back shoulders. He now seems to be getting more comfortable dropping the ball in stride to Cooper with him waiting to the last second to raise his hands for the catch.

This connection will continue to be a matchup problem for opposing defenses. For anyone with Cooper on your fantasy team my advice would be to keep starting him, especially against a depleted Ravens secondary this week.