Brandon Cooks, wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, has had a quiet start to the 2024 season, posting 9 catches for 91 yards across four games. Cooks was expected to provide a deep-threat option for the Cowboys’ offense, but he has yet to find the end zone this year and has struggled to make a significant impact.

Recently, Cooks has been sidelined due to a knee infection that followed a meniscus procedure. The infection has delayed his recovery, and as a result, the Cowboys have ruled him out for Week 5. The team is hopeful that Cooks will return in the coming weeks, but there is no clear timeline for his return as infections can sometimes complicate recoveries.

Without Cooks, Dallas will likely lean more heavily on CeeDee Lamb, along with emerging contributors like Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin. Tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker may also see an increase in targets, especially in red-zone situations. The Cowboys’ offense will need to adjust to Cooks’ absence, possibly involving more short, intermediate throws to manage the loss of a deep-ball option.

Fantasy Outlook: Cooks’ absence presents an opportunity for Jalen Tolbert, who may see a bump in playing time and targets. CeeDee Lamb should continue to dominate the target share, while Jake Ferguson could see more looks in the red zone. Fantasy managers should monitor Cooks’ recovery closely, as he could miss multiple weeks depending on how his knee infection heals.