Fantasy Football: Josh Allen Could Reclaim QB1 Status Following Amari Cooper Trade

The Bills adding Amari Cooper should be a huge boost to Josh Allen.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. / Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills are acquiring Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns -- and fantasy football managers rejoice!

With the Browns this season, Cooper has averaged just 41.7 receiving yards per game.  Poor quarterback play has held him back, as Deshaun Watson’s 32 sacks and 5.2 yards per pass attempt rank last in the NFL.  

We’ve seen how electric Cooper can be when playing with a competent quarterback. Just last season with Joe Flacco, Cooper was able to put up WR1 numbers. He had the most receiving yards of his career (1,250) in 2023. 

Now he gets a massive boost in Buffalo with Josh Allen. After losing Stefon Diggs in the offseason, the Bills desperately need an alpha receiver, and they have one now with Cooper. 

Those with Khalil Shakir may be unable to start him as a weekly play moving forward. Shakir currently leads the Bills with 249 receiving yards, though he has seen ten fewer targets than Dalton Kincaid. Expect Shakir to have big games now and then, but Cooper is the Bills receiver to start every week. 

Dalton Kincaid’s stock continues to fall, and he won’t have the breakout season many of us predicted.

Josh Allen's Fantasy Stock Reaches All-Time High

Josh Allen's stock should be at an all-time high.   

Allen is the fantasy QB5 this season, and now, with a viable receiving threat, Allen could easily finish No. 1 overall again in 2024. He becomes even more of a dual threat that defenses will have trouble solving. 

Fantasy Impact of Amari Cooper Trade on Browns

Jerry Jeudy will step into the primary receiving role for Cleveland, but he will still be no better than a weekly flex play.  Nick Chubb is expected to return to action as soon as this week.

Cleveland will likely gradually move toward a run game as it has stubbornly chosen to stick with Watson while also trading away his top receiver.