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Raiders at Saints: 5 best fantasy options

By John Buhler

Sep 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) scrambles away from pressure during the first quarter of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) scrambles away from pressure during the first quarter of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) rushes against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) rushes against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Amari Cooper

If second-year pro Amari Cooper can get his drops under control in 2016, he should have a fine season for the AFC Playoffs bound Raiders. His first big opportunity to assert himself as one of the league’s best wideouts is to put on a show against a historically bad Saints secondary.

NFL.com projects Cooper to have 11.60 points on Sunday, while ESPN.com has him at 10.1 points against the Saints. Should this game go to a shootout, expect Cooper’s Week 1 numbers to shatter these thresholds. If the Raiders defense mitigates the damage by Brees, Cooper should at least reach these totals in a surprising low-scoring affair in the Crescent City.

Cooper will have to grow in year two with third-year quarterback Derek Carr for the Raiders to push for playoff relevancy in a wide-open AFC West. The Denver Broncos will take a step back with the worst quarterback situation in football. Kansas City is a playoff-caliber team, but are the Chiefs a division winner or a wild card team. San Diego could be good or terrible depending on how the offense looks with a reunited Philip Rivers and Ken Whisenhunt.

Either way, Cooper should have a great Week 1 performance against a weak Saints secondary. He’ll be playing in a dome with ideal field conditions, not having to deal with the tumultuous winds associated with the Bay Area. A 100-yard, one-touchdown game is definitely on the table for Cooper in Week 1.

Next: 3. Mark Ingram

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