Alright, let’s talk about something that was bugging me for a bit: deciding between Amari Cooper and Chris Olave. This kind of choice always gets me thinking, trying to figure out the better play.
My First Look
So, initially, I just looked at the names. Cooper, you know, he’s been around, generally solid when he’s out there. You kinda know what you’re getting, a dependable guy. Then there’s Olave. Younger dude, flashes of big plays, seems like he’s got that higher ceiling maybe. That’s where my head was at first – safety versus potential pop.
Digging In a Little
But gut feelings only get you so far, right? So, I started thinking about their situations more. For Cooper, the big question mark was Deshaun Watson. Is he gonna be healthy? Is he gonna play like the old Watson? That whole Browns offense felt a bit shaky because of the QB situation. When Watson was playing okay, Cooper ate. But the inconsistency worried me.
Then I looked at Olave down in New Orleans. He’s got Derek Carr throwing him the ball. Carr isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire, but he’s generally reliable, gets the ball out. The thing with Olave, though, is he shares targets. Rashid Shaheed is there, Alvin Kamara gets his looks, Taysom Hill does… whatever Taysom Hill does. It felt like Olave needed those big plays more because the target share wasn’t as guaranteed week-to-week as Cooper’s seemed to be, when Cooper is the clear top dog in Cleveland.
- Cooper’s Side: Clear number one receiver, but QB questions linger.
- Olave’s Side: More stable QB maybe, but more competition for the ball.
Thinking About Consistency vs. Boom
I spent some time just mulling it over. What did I really need? Was I looking for a guy who’d probably get me a decent floor most weeks, or was I chasing that potential monster game? Cooper felt like the floor play. If Watson is even halfway decent, Cooper should get his targets and produce. He knows how to get open.
Olave felt more like the lottery ticket, but maybe a decent one. He can definitely take the top off a defense, make those splash plays. But would Carr consistently look his way deep? Or would it be more checkdowns and spreading it around? That made me hesitate a bit. I remembered Olave having some quieter games last season, even when healthy.
Making the Call
Ultimately, I had to make a choice based on what felt slightly less risky, given the unknowns. The whole Watson situation just felt too unpredictable for me. Even though Cooper is the main guy there, his production felt directly tied to a huge question mark at QB.
So, I leaned towards Olave. Yeah, there’s target competition, and Carr isn’t elite. But Carr’s health and general consistency felt like a slightly safer bet than relying on Watson returning to form and staying on the field. I figured Olave would still get enough looks as a primary target in that offense to be valuable, and his big-play ability gives him that upside I like. It wasn’t an easy call, lots of back and forth in my head, but the QB stability, even if it’s just average stability, nudged me towards Olave in the end. That’s just how I landed on it after thinking through it all.
