Brandin Cooks, Marques Colston's Instant Fantasy Reaction After Week 1

For fantasy owners who had the guts to start Brandin Cooks during Week 1, that move paid off early. The New Orleans Saints rookie looked the part of the biggest offensive weapon for Drew Brees, with Marques Colston shining for much of the second half against the Atlanta Falcons until overtime.    

Heading into the locker room after just one half, Cooks had already lived up to the hype. The rookie out of Oregon State compiled six receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown in the first half along with an 18-yard rushing attempt, adding one more catch in the second half to move to 77 yards through the air.

Chris Wesseling of NFL.com shared his full stats in the first half:

Heading into the half, the Saints held a 20-10 lead over the Falcons thanks to the effort from Cooks. With owners biting their nails leading up to the opener, Cooks helped fantasy players with the huge afternoon.

Will Brinson of CBS Sports and Michael Schottey of Bleacher Report provided their thoughts on the rookie:

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be enough for the Saints as they dropped the season opener, 37-34, in overtime. That final score would be due to a late fumble by Colston on the final drive for the 

As for the No. 1 receiver on the depth chart, Colston was underwhelming in the first half. He had two receptions for 27 yards, showing potential for a good second-half effort if he can equal his 13.5 yards-per-catch average.

While there were new offensive weapons like Cooks, Colston was relied upon for crucial plays, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com:

But the late fumble was a devastating one for the offense and the team overall. As the final Matt Bryant field goal sailed through, the team moved to 0-1 despite the 110 yards from Colston, with much of that production coming late in the game.

It was an emotional finish for Colston after a great second half that included a 57-yard reception. Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune notes Colston's reaction to the fumble and subsequent field goal:

At the end of the contest, both receivers wound up posting good fantasy numbers and serve as huge options at WR throughout the rest of the season. Cooks' production is already impressive, so fantasy owners who drafted and started him have to come away happy with the decision.

As for Colston owners, they'll have to hold out hope that he can be relied upon again moving forward. The fumble at the end of the game reduced points in fantasy, but hopefully doesn't hurt his confidence. With the emergence of Cooks, it's looking like both might shape up as more of a WR2 or WR3 in fantasy.

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