James Cook

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• Bills' James Cook: More balanced approach in 2026?

  4D ago • By RotoWire

  New coach Joe Brady acknowledged this week that Cook's workload was high after the running back took 309 carries over 17 regular-season games, and the coach discussed the potential of sharing the load a bit more this season, Chris Brown of the Bills' official site reports. Said Brady, "I don't think you ever go into each game with a mindset of, 'This is how many carries he's going to have.' But it does pile up throughout the season, and I give him a lot of credit. I would love to be able to get Ray (Davis), Ty (Johnson), Frank (Gore Jr.) those guys involved and I hope those opportunities come up this year. James was just playing at such a high level last year. And this year again we're looking at everything." Cook won the league rushing title last season, but it's worth noting the last five NFL rushing title winners have seen their totals decrease significantly the following season, and only two players this century (Derrick Henry and LaDainian Tomlinson) have won back-to-back titles. That's not to say Cook can't achieve high totals again, just that it's incredibly difficult to do so. In fact, his regular-season carries increased by 102 from a mostly healthy prior season. While Cook is an attractive fantasy option in this offense -- which hasn't changed much from last season and remains elite -- this is a team with its sights set on a deep playoff run, not winning another individual rushing title. Also, Brady might be inclined to throw the ball a bit more this season, as he's now the head coach instead of the offensive coordinator. The bottom line is that Cook is a great piece for any fantasy team, but the Bills may look for angles to work in his capable backups this season.

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• Bills' James Cook: Heads into Year 5 with Bills

  19D ago • By RotoWire

  During an appearance Tuesday on Good Morning Football, Cook indicated that he's noticed a renewed spirit under the guidance of new head coach Joe Brady during the team's offseason, Bobby Kownack of NFL.com reports. "It's just a new energy in the building," said Cook, who led the NFL last regular season with 1,621 rushing yards. "It's gonna always be like that, I feel like, when you have a new head coach coming in, a young one, too, at that. Joe [is] a young head coach coming in, his first year being a head coach. He's got new energy, that's how I feel like." While Cook didn't participate in any of the Bills' voluntary work open to the media earlier this offseason, he did participate in the team's mandatory minicamp and is poised to be full-go for training camp. Looking ahead, the 2022 second-rounder remains entrenched as the lead option in a Buffalo backfield that returns last year's top backups Ray Davis and Ty Johnson. In that context, Cook -- who logged 309 carries in 17 regular-season games in 2025 -- should continue to maintain steady volume and reliable fantasy lineup utility this coming season.

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• Bills' James Cook: Not present for start of OTAs

  05/21/2026 • By RotoWire

  Cook was not present for the start of OTAs on Tuesday, Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com reports. While OTAs are quote unquote "voluntary," it's a notable absence, as the rest of Buffalo's star players and veteran leaders were in attendance for new coach Joe Brady's first open practice session. There's been no reason given for Cook's absence, and he just signed a new four-year, $46 million contract last summer after "holding in" at training camp. Cook, however, has already fallen behind the top of the running back market after De'Von Achane, Kenneth Walker, Breece Hall and Travis Etienne all received bigger deals this offseason. It's possible Cook is looking at that and pushing for more money after leading the league in rushing with 1,621 yards and 12 touchdowns on a career-high 309 carries last regular season. With Cook idle to begin OTAs, Frank Gore and Ray Davis have seen more reps with the first-team offense, according to Parrino.

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• Bills' James Cook: Accrues 141 total yards in loss

  01/18/2026 • By RotoWire

  Cook rushed 24 times for 117 yards and brought in two of three targets for 24 yards in the Bills' 33-30 divisional-round overtime loss to the Broncos on Saturday. He also lost a fumble. Cook put together an impressive day on the ground against an elite defense, finishing with his 10th 100-yard rushing performance since the start of the regular season and bouncing back in noteworthy fashion from his 46-yard effort versus the Jaguars in Sunday's wild-card victory. Cook's second-quarter lost fumble had a significant impact, however, as it came at the Broncos' 30-yard line and eventually led to a Denver touchdown. The disappointing team outcome aside, Cook's productive day Saturday was a fitting cap to a career-best regular season, one where he won the NFL rushing yardage title with 1,621 yards while averaging 5.2 yards per carry, scored 12 rushing touchdowns, and generated a 33-291-2 line on 40 targets while committing six fumbles, losing three, across 17 games.

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• Bills' James Cook: Stymied by Jags in wild-card win

  01/11/2026 • By RotoWire

  Cook carried the ball 15 times for 46 yards and caught two of three targets for five yards in the Bills' 27-24 win over the Jaguars during the wild-card round Sunday. After amassing a career-high 1,621 yards during the regular season to secure his first career rushing crown, Cook had trouble finding room to roam against an elite Jags run defense, with his longest gain going for just 11 yards. Not counting a Week 18 contest in which he made only a cameo appearance, it was the first time Cook had been held below 50 yards since Week 11. The Bills won't know who they're playing next until after the weekend's games are over, but Cook is likely to face another tough opponent next weekend, with the Broncos and Texans among their potential divisional-round matchups.

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