Cooper Kupp is looking to bounce back after an injury-plagued 2022 season. He suffered a high ankle sprain in week 10 that ended his season. He was the WR1 at the time of his injury but a year older how do you feel about Kupp entering the 2023 season? Kupp and Matthew Stafford both sustained season-ending injuries in 2022. Where does that leave Cooper Kupp from a fantasy perspective entering the 2023 season?
Cooper Kupp 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
Cooper Kupp 2022 Fantasy Season Review
Kupp missed eight games in 2022 and still finished number one on the Los Angeles Rams in catches, yards, and touchdowns. The Los Rams were one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2022. Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford were both shut down after sustaining injuries in weeks 10 & 13. Prior to the week 10 injury, Kupp was on his way to another WR1 season.
Cooper Kupp, in his 9 games of 2022, led the NFL in target share at 29.9%
He was second in the league at .31 Targets Per Route Run.
Through Week 9, Kupp was the top WR in fantasy with 24.8 PPR points per game.
His target competition includes:
Van Jefferson
Ben Skowronek
Tutu… pic.twitter.com/VexeXzY1kZ— Brian Drake (@DrakeFantasy) June 23, 2023
When Kupp was injured in week nine he was the WR2 overall and WR1 in points per game. Averaging 90 yards on 11 targets per game, all while on a Los Angeles Rams offense that failed to score more than 20 in six of nine games with Cooper Kupp. Cooper Kupp had at least 14 targets in 3 different games in 2022. The only other wide receivers who accomplished that all finished in the top 6 in targets. In 2022 Kupp finished with at least seven catches and 79 yards in 77% of the games he played in 2022 and a touchdown in 55% of games played in 2022. The consistency the past two seasons has just been off the charts.
Cooper Kupp 2021-2022
Cooper Kupp's full season (21 games):
* 178 catches, 2,425 yards, 22 TD
* NFL regular season receiving triple crown
* Unanimous All-Pro
* Most catches in a single postseason (33)
* NFL Offensive Player of the Year
* Super Bowl MVPOne of the greatest individual seasons ever.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 14, 2022
Cooper Kupp obviously had a historic season that ended up with the Rams winning the Superbowl and Kupp receiving the Offensive Player of the Year Award. Kupp was the WR1 in 2021 with almost 26 PPR points per game, which led all non quarterbacks by two points per game and all wide receivers by four points per game. That season Kupp also led the league in 20 & 30 yard receptions, he was doing it from every level. In the last two seasons Kupp is averaging 25.5 PPR points per game and has scored at least 20 PPR points in 80% of his games and a touchdown in 64% of his games. The last two seasons Kupp has a target share of almost 33% and given what the Rams have at the skill positions that won’t change.
Cooper Kupp 2023 Fantasy Season Preview
The Rams are losing 52 targets from Allen Robinson this season, that wont affect Kupp at all but it is a less talented receiving core entering 2023. Tyler Higbee led the Rams in targets in 2022, the next closest receiver had 61 targets. Cooper Kupp is set up for another 170+ target season which would put him back in the WR1 conversation. The Rams suffered the injury bug in 2022, between Kupp, Stafford, Aaron Donald, an Jalen Ramsey, the Rams four best players were shut down before the season ended. Better injury luck for Kupp should help but Stafford has an extensive injury history and given his age another injury won’t be surprising. No matter who the quarterback is expect Cooper Kupp to continue to get open in 2023.
ADP
Cooper Kupp’s current ADP is WR4, fifth overall. Wide receivers going at the beginning of draft’s is something I am still not use to but given the offensive changes to the league I love to see it. The wide receivers being taken ahead of Kupp are Justin Jefferson, Jamarr Chase, and Tyreek Hill.
Tier One last year:
Justin Jefferson (WR1 ADP): Increased 18.2 PPG alongside T.J. Hockenson
Ja'Marr Chase (WR2): 11 targets per game in eight starts post-injury
Tyreek Hill (WR3): 31.5% TS from Tua
Cooper Kupp (WR4): Position-high 20.3 PPG in eight full games with Stafford
— John Daigle (@notJDaigle) May 29, 2023
I understand why Kupp is WR4 because of the injuries to him and his quarterback. Also, the fact that the Rams aren’t expected to be a good offense in 2023. With those circumstances, getting Kupp as the fourth wide receiver is stealing. Perception would tell you that the three wide receivers ahead of Kupp all have higher ceilings but the 2021 season told us that that isn’t true at all.
WR leaders in top-10 finish % over the last two years:
1. Cooper Kupp (65%)
—
2. Justin Jefferson (44%)
3. Davante Adams (42%)
T4. Tyreek Hill (38%)
T4. Deebo Samuel (38%)
6. Stefon Diggs (36%)
7. Ja'Marr Chase (34%)Every WR on this list top-8 by ADP – except Deebo (WR17)
— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) June 7, 2023
Kupp also has a higher floor, in the last two years Kupp has just two games under 50 receiving yards. Between Jefferson, Chase, and Hill they all have at least six of those games. Getting Kupp at WR4 is stealing and taking him number one overall is the highest to take the former WR1.
Read More:
Dynasty Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings
Main Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
