Omar Cooper Jr. Dynasty Value: Film Star With Analytical Speed Bumps

QUICK LINKS:

Cooper wasn’t an instant hit at Indiana. 

The production spike waited until his redshirt junior season. That’s when he moved from a vertical role to running almost exclusively from the slot and became a trusted option for Heisman-winning QB Fernando Mendoza.

At 6’0, 204 pounds, Cooper pairs NFL size with advanced route pacing. The dynasty question: Does that late-career efficiency signal sustainable pro production?

Let’s dig into his full dynasty value.

Omar Cooper Jr. Dynasty Values

To see Omar Cooper Jr.'s dynasty value for your exact league setup, check out our Dynasty Draft War Room.

Let Value Drive Your Drafting & Trading

Our Dynasty Draft War Room assigns dynamic player values based on your league’s specific settings.

These 3D values range from 100 to 0. 

The most valuable player in your league gets a 100; 0 goes to the worst rostered player.

Use these values to compare players at the same position and across positions for help with draft, trade, and add/drop decisions.

Our Trade Value Charts use the same system to compare players across positions -- as well as future rookie-draft picks and even startup picks.

Whether you play superflex or 1-QB, PPR or otherwise, you can find a chart to fit your format. 

Did we mention tight end premium trade value charts?

Omar Cooper Jr. Draft Profile

Omar Cooper Jr. Combine Results

A Major Injury Altered His Football Career

Cooper transitioned from QB to WR as a high school sophomore in 2019. 

A torn left ACL late in 2020 reduced his college offers.

Through it all, Indiana remained committed.

“Some of the big­ger schools, the Alaba­mas, the Ohio States, they dropped off after he got hurt. We weren’t inter­ested in them any­more, even if they came back,” Cooper’s father said via The Indianapolis Star. “Those schools didn’t want him like Indi­ana wanted him.” 

Cooper redshirted in 2022 and finished fifth among Hoosiers in catches and receiving yards in 2023.

A coaching change soon followed, setting up the next step in his college journey.

Coaching Change Alters Cooper’s Path

Indiana fired HC Tom Allen after a 3-9 season in 2023 and hired Curt Cignetti.  

Cooper’s first year under the new staff delivered an interesting stat line:

• 28 receptions
• 594 yards
• 7 TDs
• 21.2 yards per catch

That yards-per-catch number matters. It pairs with a 16.0-yard average depth of target, confirming his vertical deployment. But Cooper also delivered yards after the catch, averaging 7.5 YAC per reception.

The problem for dynasty evaluators: the market share.

He controlled just 11.3% of team receptions and 17.4% of receiving yards; complementary-piece usage. The 21.3% TD share helped, but we know TDs fluctuate.

Cignetti didn’t hide what he wanted to see.

“He’s got to get rid of the inconsistency,” Cignetti said in spring camp, via The Indianapolis Star. “[And] set higher standards for himself, and have the discipline and commitment to achieve his goals and become what he wants to be.

“The talent’s there. The flashes are there. Gotta see it play in, play out, game in, game out, because I’ve got very high expectations of him. Been around some really good receivers, and he can be one of those kinds of guys.”

Cooper sent a clear message with his play in 2025.

New QB and Role Change Unlock the Upside

A QB upgrade changed everything.

Fernando Mendoza transferred from UCLA and turned in a Heisman-winning season. Among the highlights: 

• 9.3 yards per attempt
• a 72% completion rate
• and a nation-best 41 TD passes.

Cooper benefited, but in a different way than you might expect. His aDOT dropped by 6.3 yards. He moved inside, logging 83.3% of his passing snaps in the slot after sitting at 9.2% the year before. Per Pro Football Focus, 25 of his 91 targets came on screens.

The efficiency proved strong. Cooper caught nearly 76% of his targets, averaged 2.55 yards per route run, and ranked fourth nationally in forced missed tackles, despite tying for 15th in catches.

His team shares landed at: 

• 23.6% of the catches
• 24.4% of the receiving yards
• and 28.2% of the receiving TDs. 

Consider those solid numbers, especially alongside fellow NFL-caliber talents Elijah Sarratt and Charlie Becker.

So, how does Cooper project in the pros? Let’s get to the film.

Omar Cooper Jr. Highlights

Games Watched: Michigan (2024), Ohio State (2024), Notre Dame (2024), Iowa (2025), Oregon (2025), UCLA (2025), Maryland (2025), Penn State (2025), Ohio State (2025), Alabama (2025), Oregon - Playoff (2025), Miami (2025)

Cooper’s 2025 film shows a player poised to naturally transition to the NFL.

These Routes Leave Corners in His Dust

Cooper showcases smooth route running on this out route against Oregon. The CB plays off coverage, and both Cooper and Mendoza recognize the timing window.

Cooper cuts outside and sinks his hips while maintaining acceleration. The ball leaves Mendoza’s hand before Cooper turns to track it. Cooper extends to secure the catch and keeps both feet inbounds for an easy completion.

Cooper’s precise route running makes him difficult to cover man-to-man. He cuts smoothly and explodes out of breaks to catch CBs off guard.

That route refinement will be key for separating from NFL corners and making himself an attractive target.

Hands to Make the Catch and Moves to Chew Up Yardage

Cooper delivers a highlight on this play. He runs an out route expecting the ball on his inside shoulder. Mendoza throws it high and outside instead. Cooper adjusts, elevates, and secures it with one hand.

He immediately transitions upfield. Cooper slips the first tackle, anticipates the next defender, and forces another missed tackle.

He spins through contact and churns forward for a first down. Cooper’s toughness and effort make him dangerous after the catch. He ranked 16th among all college WRs this season with 494 yards after catch.

Cooper Wins Deep as Well

Cooper executes a perfect double move to win over the top for a TD on this play. A single-high safety leaves him in one-on-one coverage. He wastes no movement, steps inside to sell the slant, then accelerates past the CB.

Cooper’s athleticism and burst make him impossible to catch, turning it into an easy 25-yard score.

He consistently makes CBs look overmatched with his route running and explosiveness. Against subpar competition, Cooper separated easily with a deep route tree. He’ll obviously face much tougher cover men in the pros, but outplaying his college peers signals that Cooper belongs in the NFL.

Just Throw it Up to Him

This might have been the best catch of the college season. Indiana trails by 4 with 36 seconds left. Cooper tracks the ball along the back of the end zone and drags a foot inbounds for the TD.

His body control and high-point ability make the play nearly impossible to defend in zone coverage. Cooper makes acrobatic catches look routine.

That factor can only help motivate his QB to trust the wideout in high-value spots and contested situations.

Dynasty Value Conclusion: Late Breakout, Real NFL Traits

Cooper didn’t truly break out until he was almost 22, so he won’t be a favorite among those who value age-adjusted production.

That said, he enjoyed an excellent 2025 season. 

He proved polished as a route runner, showcasing veteran pacing and detail. His hands held up year over year for a career drop rate of only 4.2%. And as Dane Brugler of The Athletic noted, Cooper’s run-after-catch ability “will help separate him on draft boards.”

Those are just some of the traits that’ve put Cooper firmly in the top-50 conversation for the 2026 NFL Draft. Recent buzz suggests he could even make it into late Round 1.

Just be aware of a potential shift away from slot receivers in the NFL. Per analyst JJ Zachariason, Khalil Shakir was the only slot WR to post 10+ PPR points per game (min. 70% slot rate) in 2025. There was an average of five such players per season across 2020-2024. 

Cooper heads into the NFL Combine just outside the top 5 of our dynasty rookie WR rankings.

Omar Cooper Jr. Team Fit: Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels couldn’t recapture his rookie-year momentum in 2025. Health issues played a part, but the supporting cast underwhelmed and will thin out further with Deebo Samuel set to leave in free agency. 

His absence removes 72 catches, 727 yards, and 5 TDs. Even with Samuel around, Washington ranked 29th in team YAC per game at 84.1, per SumerSports.

Also note: Terry McLaurin turns 31 in September and missed seven games last season due to a quad injury. (To be fair, he did play in every game over the previous four campaigns.)

We’ll also see how the offense looks under first-year OC David Blough. The former NFL QB spent the past two seasons on Washington’s staff alongside former OC Kliff Kingsbury. 

Ultimately, Cooper’s forced-missed-tackle profile would fit cleanly as someone who can add efficiency and short-area production. Plus, 2024 showed he could handle a more vertical route tree from the perimeter.

Ready to Go from Perennial Rebuilder to Constant Contender?

Subscribe to Draft Sharks and show the fantasy world you're not here to play games. You're here to win.

Don't be a spectator; be a champion.

Hit that subscribe button or step aside for those hungry for victory. 

Need more convincing? Explore the suite of dynasty tools that will serve as your exclusive analytics department. 

Draft Sharks -- your unfair advantage.

Next Up

Makai Lemon Dynasty Value: This Year's Cleanest WR Profile

Next Article  

Kevin English, Senior Analyst

Kevin brings 15+ years of experience as a fantasy analyst and mid-stakes competitor across various formats (redraft, best ball, dynasty, DFS). He finished 1st in FantasyPros Draft Accuracy competition in 2024. Kevin's work has been featured in The Mercury News, NBC Sports/Rotoworld, and FantasyPros.