Alright, let’s talk about Cooper Kupp’s ADP back in 2023. Man, that was a whole process trying to figure out where he belonged on my draft board.
So, I started my prep like usual, probably around July. You remember Kupp, right? The guy absolutely went nuclear in 2021, won the triple crown, fantasy league winner for sure. Then 2022 happened, and bam, that ankle injury took him out. Big disappointment.
Going into 2023, the big question was simple: Is he healthy? Can he get back to even 80% of that monster season?
My Research Phase
I remember digging around, checking out the early ADP numbers. They were kinda all over the place initially. Some folks still had him pegged as a late first-rounder, banking on that massive ceiling. Others were way more cautious, pushing him into the third or even fourth round in early mocks.
Here’s what I was looking at:
- His age – getting up there a bit for a WR known for sharp cuts.
- Matthew Stafford’s health – remember his elbow was also a concern.
- The Rams offense generally – looked kinda shaky compared to their Super Bowl run.
- Most importantly, Kupp’s own health reports.
Then the news started trickling in about a hamstring issue during training camp. That’s when the real head-scratching began for me. Hamstrings can linger, you know? Especially for receivers. That ADP started to slide, consistently falling into the second, sometimes even early third round depending on the platform.
The Draft Day Dilemma
My main league draft was late August. By then, Kupp was officially dealing with that hamstring setback. It wasn’t looking good for Week 1. He was one of those classic risk/reward picks everyone talks about.
I remember seeing him sitting there at the end of the second round in my draft. My turn was coming up. It was tempting, really tempting. You think about that 2021 season, the target hog he is when healthy. But then the little voice pipes up, “Dude, hamstring, missed time already, what if it nags him all year?”
I saw some analysts comparing him to safer guys going in that range, maybe like a Michael Pittman Jr. – less flashy maybe, but felt more reliable. That comparison stuck in my head. Do you swing for the fences knowing you might strike out hard, or take the solid single?
My thought process went something like this:
- Can my team absorb a zero from a top pick for potentially multiple weeks?
- How much do I trust the Rams’ updates on his injury?
- Are there other players available who offer similar upside without the immediate red flag?
The Decision and Aftermath
Ultimately, I chickened out. I just couldn’t pull the trigger with that much uncertainty clouding him right before the season. Someone else snagged him maybe five picks later in the early third. At the time, I felt kinda relieved, honestly. Less stress.
And well, we know how it played out. He missed the first four games. Came back, had some decent games, but wasn’t quite the world-beater from before, and then got banged up again later. Definitely didn’t live up to even that discounted ADP, unfortunately.
It’s funny looking back. He went from this third-round pick nobody expected much from initially, became arguably the best receiver in the league, and then injuries just brought all that uncertainty back. Now he’s not even on the Rams anymore, off to Seattle. Just shows how fast things change in this league and how tough nailing ADP can be, especially with injury situations. It’s a gamble, always is.
