Chargers' Jared Cook: Finishes season with 48 catches
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Cook tallied four receptions on seven targets for 80 yards in Sunday's 35-32 overtime loss to the Raiders. The veteran tight end finished the 2021 campaign with 48 receptions for 564 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games.
It's hard to say Cook disappointed in his first season with the Chargers considering he posted more receptions, receiving yards and 20-plus yard catches than his final year with the Saints, but he averaged only 11.8 yards per catch which marked a career low as a starter. Still, the 34-year-old was more or less able to fill the massive vacuum left by the departure of Hunter Henry. It'll be interesting to see what the team opts to do at tight end next season. Donald Parham quietly emerged as a capable red-zone threat this year and was beginning to pick up steam as a reliable pass catcher before suffering a concussion in Week 15, ending his season. It's possible Parham could step into the starting role if healthy, leaving Cook -- who signed a one-year deal with the Chargers this offseason -- looking for another team to extend his career.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Comes off COVID list
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The Chargers activated Cook (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.
Cook is set to return to the lineup Sunday against the Raiders after missing the Chargers' Week 17 win over the Broncos, a game in which Tre' McKitty and Stephen Anderson shared the team's tight-end duties. Through 15 games to date, Cook is averaging 2.9 catches (on 5.1 targets) for 32.3 receiving yards to go along with four touchdowns.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Set to come off COVID list
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Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said Wednesday that Cook (illness) is in line to come off the reserve/COVID-19 list, Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Los Angeles will likely make the transaction official later Wednesday or Thursday, setting the stage for Cook to return to action for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Raiders. While Cook was out for the Week 17 win over the Broncos, Tre' McKitty and Stephen Anderson shared snaps at tight end and combined to draw four targets. Cook should step back into the starting role now once he's formally activated.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Still on COVID list
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Cook (illness) remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of Sunday's game against Broncos, Gilbert Manzano of The Orange County Register reports.
Until Cook clears the NFL's COVID protocols, the Chargers will rely on Stephen Anderson, Tre' McKitty and Hunter Kampmoyer to handle the team's tight end duties, with Cook's top backup for most of the season, Donald Parham (concussion), on injured reserve.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Looks set to miss Week 17
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Cook isn't expected to play Sunday against the Broncos after the Chargers placed him on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday following a positive test for the virus, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Even if vaccinated, Cook will have a minimal chance to clear the NFL's COVID-19 return-to-play protocol before Sunday's 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff, so the Chargers and fantasy managers alike should proceed as though he won't be available Week 17. He's one of 10 members of Los Angeles' 53-man roster that is on the list as Sunday's game approaches, though the Chargers at least received some reinforcement for the passing attack when wideouts Mike Williams and Jalen Guyton were activated from the list earlier this week. With Cook's top backup for most of the season, Donald Parham (concussion), on injured reserve, the Chargers likely will turn to Stephen Anderson and Tre' McKitty to pick up the snaps at tight end this weekend.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Totals 44 yards in loss
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Cook caught three of five targets for 44 yards during Sunday's 41-29 loss to the Texans. He also secured a successful two-point conversion.
It was another modest showing from Cook, who hasn't exceeded three receptions or 45 receiving yards since Week 9. Overall he has 44 catches for 484 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games this season, making his fantasy outlook mostly dependent on reaching the end zone.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Drops easy TD
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Cook recorded three receptions (on seven targets) and 32 yards in Thursday's 34-28 overtime loss to the Chiefs.
Cook saw a slight bump in playing time after Donald Parham left early in the game with a serious head injury, but the extra snaps didn't amount to much. The veteran tight end had a blunder mid-way through the second quarter, failing to bring in an easy short-yardage bubble screen on fourth-and-one which surely would have resulted in a touchdown. It's been that kind of season for the 34-year-old who is currently on pace for five-year lows in both receiving yards and touchdowns despite a healthy 71 targets to date.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Cleared for Thursday
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Cook (quadriceps) doesn't have an injury designation for Thursday's game against Kansas City.
In addition to Cook, fellow tight end Donald Parham (knee) also avoided a designation for Week 15 after both were listed as full participants at Friday's practice. While playing 31 of the Chargers' 71 snaps on offense in last weekend's win over the Giants, Cook caught two of his five targets for eight yards and a touchdown. Through 13 contests overall, he's averaging 2.9 catches (on 4.9 targets) for 31.4 yards to go along with four receiving scores.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Increases activity Tuesday
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Cook (quadriceps) was listed as a limited participant at Tuesday's walkthrough.
Cook was estimated to have no activity if the Chargers had held practice Monday, so his return in some capacity one day later is a good sign as the team prepares to take on AFC West-leading Kansas City on Thursday. The same can be said for Donald Parham (heel) -- DNP on Monday, LP on Tuesday -- meaning L.A. is closing in on having its top two tight ends available for Week 15 action.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Listed with quad injury on practice estimate
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Cook (quad) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice estimate.
Cook logged 31 of a possible 71 snaps on offense in Sunday's win over the Giants, and in the process he caught two of his five targets for eight yards and a one-yard TD. Fellow tight end Donald Parham (knee) also logged a listed 'DNP' on Monday, so the duo's status is worth tracking as Thursday night's game against Kansas City approaches.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Scores short touchdown
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Cook caught two passes for eight yards and one touchdown on five targets against the Giants on Sunday.
The touchdown provided a modicum of respectability to Cook's box score, but it was mostly another inefficient showing from Cook, who is at once an aged veteran and an inconsistent technician. Rather than Cook stepping up in the absence of lead target Keenan Allen (COVID), it was WR3 Jalen Guyton and rookie Josh Palmer who stepped up in the Chargers' pass-catching rotation. Cook should remain the Chargers' TE1 through the rest of the year, but understudies Donald Parham and Stephen Anderson might play more snaps than most backup tight ends, at Cook's expense.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Tallies 29 yards in win
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Cook caught three of four targets for 29 yards during Sunday's 41-22 win over the Bengals.
Cook was limited to his fourth straight game with under 30 receiving yards and has managed only three above that threshold all season. The Chargers have relied on Austin Ekeler and other options to cover goal-line opportunities instead of forcing the ball to Cook, which has hampered his fantasy value significantly. Drops have also been an issue for the tight end all season (61 percent catch rate), and as a result, younger backup Donald Parham has seen additional usage. With a low receiving floor and a decreasing share of red-zone targets, Cook remains a touchdown-dependent, low-upside option.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Scores TD in loss
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Cook snared two of his five targets for 25 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-13 loss to the Broncos.
Sunday marked Cook's first touchdown since Week 6 and just his second red-zone target over that stretch as the Chargers have largely utilized Donald Parham and Austin Ekeler near the goal line. The veteran has been a safety net at times for quarterback Justin Herbert, but his meager targets week to week make for inconsistent fantasy value.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: One catch in loss
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Cook caught one of three targets for 10 yards during Sunday's 27-20 loss against the Vikings.
Cook recorded season lows in targets and receiving yards as Justin Herbert struggled to move the ball against the Minnesota secondary. Cook has functioned as an experienced tight end option for Herbert, but he has also struggled with drops (only a 62.2 percent catch rate on the year). Moving forward, Cook figures to remain an unreliable fantasy tight end who is stuck behind a number of other pass catchers.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: More work in win
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Cook caught all four of his targets for 48 yards in Sunday's 27-24 win over the Eagles. He also caught a two-point conversion.
The veteran tight end saw the entirety of his work come in the first half as the Chargers leaned heavily on Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler to salt away the win. While Cook hasn't seen a substantial workload, he has turned into a comfortable target for Justin Herbert when he's been called upon. That hasn't translated into red-zone looks, but it's put the 34-year-old Cook on pace to surpass his figures during his final season with the Saints.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Only one catch in win
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Cook caught one of three targets for 29 yards in Sunday's thrilling 47-42 win over the Browns on Sunday.
Cook's lone catch was nearly a big one as the veteran tight end almost had the go-ahead score only to be tripped up near the goal line. Positional teammate Donald Parham actually recorded more catches (two) and yards (29), but the 6-foot-8 Parham was primarily utilized as a red-zone threat whereas Cook was the option between the 20s. Its certainly frustrating to see the 34-year-old essentially held in check despite a barrage of Chargers points, but given the offensive volume on a week-to-week basis, Cook still represents an intriguing fantasy option, albeit one with a low floor.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Scores in victory
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Cook caught six of seven targets for 70 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 28-14 win over the Raiders.
Cook enjoyed his best performance through four games as a Charger, leading the team in receiving yards while posting a new high in catches. The veteran also scored for the first time this season, hauling in a 10-yarder in the back of the end zone during the second quarter. Although starting wideout Mike Williams being limited to one catch resulted in Cook being used more than usual, his performance Monday puts his stock in a good place ahead of a tough Week 5 matchup against the Browns.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Musters up 27 yards
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Cook recorded two receptions on three targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 30-24 win over the Chiefs.
Cook has now produced 10 receptions for 111 yards and no touchdowns through three contests. The 34-year-old received 15 red-zone targets last season and scored seven times. So far this year, he has three red-zone targets. Cook has touchdown upside on a weekly basis as a result.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Little production in loss
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Cook caught three of his five targets for 28 yards in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Cowboys.
Cook saw the fourth-most targets on the team, but he didn't do much with the looks. The veteran tight end could have salvaged his day with what appeared to be the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter, but an illegal shift negated the touchdown. Stephen Anderson (two catches, nine yards) and Donald Parham (36-yard touchdown called back on a penalty) did next to nothing in this contest, confirming Cook as the obvious tight end to roster in an explosive offense through two weeks.
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Chargers' Jared Cook: Replacing Hunter Henry in L.A.
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Cook is signing a one-year contract with the Chargers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The deal has a maximum value of $6 million, so the cap hit presumably will be less than that. Cook likely will be the passing-down replacement for Hunter Henry, who played 87 percent of the Chargers' offensive snaps in his 14 games last season. Cook wasn't too far from that type of workload in his two seasons with the Raiders (2017-18), but his snap share dipped to 55 percent and then 46 percent in two years for the Saints. He'll turn 34 in April, joining a team that has only Donald Parham and Matt Sokol under contract at tight end. Parham did make a few big plays last season, and there's still more than enough time for the Chargers to add more talent.
