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Cooper Likely To Cash In After Providing Serious Fantasy Value
According to Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer Jeff McLane, Riley Cooper's contract expires at the end of the season and he knows it.

"Yeah, it's up," Cooper said. "It's definitely crossed my mind. But I'm approaching this whole season and the next three games, just play as hard as you can and then at the end of the day everything will take care of itself."

The Eagles wide receiver signed a four-year, $2 million contract when the Eagles selected him in the fifth round of the 2010 draft. Entering this season, Cooper played mostly as a fourth receiver and would have likely had the same role if Jeremy Maclin didn't suffer a season-ending knee injury in July.

But after a slow first month starting in place of Maclin, Cooper has become one of the Eagles' most productive players on offense over the last eight games. His rise has coincided with that of quarterback Nick Foles, who has targeted only DeSean Jackson more (52 to 51) over that span.

As a result, Cooper's stock has spiked.

Chip Kelly has gushed about the 26-year-old receiver, who has certain attributes that seemingly fit the Eagles coach's scheme, but free agency is tricky and the Eagles have another contract decision to make with Maclin.

"I want to be back here," Cooper said. "Everyone around here knows that I love the scheme. I think I fit in it well with the bubble screens and the stuff that we do with blocking and being a bigger guy and a bigger target."

Maclin's contract also expires in March. The Eagles' 2009 first round draft pick has a more accomplished NFL resume than Cooper, but Maclin has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee two times. By the end of this season, he will have missed 21 games over five seasons because of injury.

According to McLane, the Eagles could decide to bring both back, especially if Maclin gets nothing more than one-year offers. Maclin's loss has been Cooper's gain. After catching only eight passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in the first five games, Cooper has tallied 29 receptions for 621 yard and six touchdowns since.

Jackson, over that same eight-game span, caught 37 passes for 555 yards and five scores.

Cooper, who doesn't have Jackson-like speed but is deceptively fast, is averaging 19.3 yards a catch, which ranks second in the NFL. Kelly said that the 6-3, 222-pound Cooper's background in baseball and being able to track fly balls has aided his deep-ball skills.

Kelly cited Cooper's "ability to adjust to the ball and the ability to understand leverage of the defensive player and the ability Riley has of being big enough not to get knocked off-track when obviously the defensive player knows where the ball is going, too. But your ability to hold that line is a huge component."

And in case you missed it last night, Cooper will be going up against a Vikings defense that's given up an NFL-high 29 touchdown passes this season.

Oh yeah. ... And he's playing with Foles, who has the highest touchdown percentage in the league.

So go ahead and play Cooper if you have him. Jackson, too. And LeSean McCoy.