Bills' James Cook: Nets 129 total yards, TD in loss
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Cook rushed 17 times for 116 yards and a touchdown while bringing in all three targets for 13 yards in the Bills' 23-19 loss to the Texans on Thursday night.
Cook managed his sixth 100-yard effort on the ground this season while posting his first rushing touchdown since Week 8 via a 45-yard run to cap off Buffalo's opening possession of the contest. The star running back continued to consistently generate solid gains against a tough Texans defense the rest of the night as well, and the productive performance locked in his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. Cook next takes aim at the Steelers' inconsistent run defense in a Week 13 road matchup on Sunday, Nov. 30.
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Bills' James Cook: Claws way to over 100 total yards
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Cook rushed 16 times for 48 yards and secured all three targets for 66 yards in the Bills' 44-32 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Cook unsurprisingly found running room at a premium against a stingy Buccaneers front, but he was able to salvage his fantasy day with his best work of the season as a receiver. The fourth-year pro contributed a 25-yard touchdown reception on his three catches, and he finished with a season-high receiving yardage total. The going doesn't get any easier for Cook in Week 12, however, as the Bills face a tough Texans defense on the road in a Thursday night matchup.
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Bills' James Cook: Opportunities capped in loss
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Cook rushed 13 times for 53 yards and brought in all five targets for 24 yards in the Bills' 30-13 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday. He also lost a fumble.
Cook was involved as a receiver at his highest clip since Week 1, as the Bills were already down 16-0 at halftime and therefore were in catch-up mode throughout the second half. The talented back did run hard with his limited opportunities on the ground, but he finished tied for a season low in carries and also lost a fumble in Dolphins territory early in the second quarter that helped lead to a Miami field goal. The downturn was drastic after Cook had rushed for 330 yards and two touchdowns over the previous two games, but he'll look to bounce back in Week 11 at home against a typically stingy Buccaneers run defense that showed some cracks against the Patriots' TreVeyon Henderson on Sunday.
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Bills' James Cook: Clear for Week 10
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Cook (ankle) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's game at Miami.
After Cook sat out Wednesday's practice due to a foot injury, coach Sean McDermott told Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com that the running back's health concern emerged during this past Sunday's win against the Chiefs and that he'd been sore in the meantime. Cook followed up Wednesday's DNP with a limited session Thursday and a full practice Friday, thereby clearing him for Week 10 action. He'll be facing a Dolphins defense Sunday against whom he went for 118 yards from scrimmage and one rushing TD on 22 touches back in Week 3.
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Bills' James Cook: Returns to practice
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Cook (ankle) was present for Thursday's practice, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Cook didn't practice Wednesday due to a listed ankle issue, but the running back's return to the field a day later is a positive indicator with regard to his Week 10 availability. The Bills' next injury report will clarify Cook's official participation level Thursday.
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Bills' James Cook: Cracks century mark against KC
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Cook rushed for 114 yards on 27 carries while catching his only target for 11 yards in Sunday's 28-21 win over the Chiefs.
Cook set a new high-water mark for touches in a single game this season (28) while finishing with a game-high 125 yards from scrimmage. The talented rusher did all of the heavy lifting for the Bills between the 20s, allowing for backup Ty Johnson and QB Josh Allen to hit pay dirt on the ground Sunday. Cook entered Sunday's contest averaging a touchdown scored per game this season, so managers will have to live with "just" another 100-yard performance (his fifth on the year). Look for Cook to potentially get back into the scoring column against the Dolphins next Sunday after torching Miami's defense for 108 yards and a touchdown when these two teams met back in Week 3.
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Bills' James Cook: Career-best performance in win
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Cook rushed 19 times for 216 yards and two touchdowns in the Bills' 40-9 win over the Panthers on Sunday.
Cook's yardage total was unsurprisingly a career-best figure, one the fourth-year back accomplished with seven runs of 10-plus yards, including a 64-yard touchdown scamper just past the midway point of the second quarter. The talented back added a 21-yard scoring run with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, and he was able to take an early seat thanks to Buffalo's expansive lead. Cook has now eclipsed the 100-yard mark in four of the last six games following a 44-yard season opener against the Ravens, and he'll remain an elite option in all formats for a Week 9 home showdown against the Chiefs next Sunday afternoon.
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Bills' James Cook: Solid rushing night in loss
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Cook rushed 17 times for 87 yards and didn't draw a target in the Bills' 24-14 loss to the Falcons on Monday night.
Cook enjoyed a solid night on the ground despite game script working against the run as the game unfolded, bouncing back nicely from a 49-yard showing in the Week 5 loss to the Patriots. However, he failed to draw a target for the first time this season after not hauling in the one pass thrown his way Week 5, a relatively rare slump for him as a pass catcher. Cook's fantasy value remains significantly elevated in all formats, however, and he draws a favorable matchup on the road against the Panthers on Sunday, Oct. 26 following Buffalo's Week 7 bye.
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Bills' James Cook: Eclipses century mark in win
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Cook rushed 22 times for 117 yards and a touchdown while bringing in three of four targets for 18 yards in the Bills' 31-19 win over the Saints on Sunday.
The Bills arguably underperformed most of the afternoon given their status as significant home favorites, but Cook's play didn't disappoint. The speedy back was over the 100-yard mark on the ground for the third straight game, and he extended his season-opening streak of rushing touchdowns to four games with a one-yard scoring run late in the first quarter. Cook is averaging 5.4 yards per carry overall, even when factoring in an average of 3.4 yards per tote Week 1 against the Ravens. The versatile fourth-year pro also has multiple catches in three of the first four games heading into a Week 5 AFC East home showdown against the Patriots next Sunday night.
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Bills' James Cook: Eclipses 100 total yards in win
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Cook rushed 19 times for 108 yards and a touchdown and brought in all three targets for 10 yards in the Bills' 31-21 win over the Dolphins on Thursday night.
Cook served as the ideal complement to the exploits of Josh Allen through the air (228 yards, three touchdowns). The star running back had a game-long run of 26 yards, so he was able to consistently find running room throughout the night. The 2022 second-round pick also recorded his fourth rushing touchdown of the season on a two-yard run to cap off the first drive of the second half, and he'll take a stellar figure of 5.4 yards per carry into a Week 4 home matchup against the Saints on Sunday, Sept. 28.
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Bills' James Cook: Two TDs in Week 2 win
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Cook rushed 21 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns while catching his only target for three yards in Sunday's 30-10 win over the Jets.
Cook once again operated as the clear lead back, as Ray Davis and Ty Johnson combined for just 30 scrimmage yards, with most of the backups' opportunities coming after the game was well in hand. Buffalo capitalized on a drive-extending roughing the passer penalty to open the scoring with a one-yard Cook rushing touchdown, and he added a 44-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to extend the lead to 20-0. Cook's versatile skill set allows him to stay heavily involved regardless of game script, and he has three total touchdowns heading into Thursday's Week 3 home game against the 0-2 Dolphins after racking up 18 scrimmage TDs in the 2024 regular season.
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Bills' James Cook: Full participant Thursday
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Cook (hamstring) was listed as a full participant in Thursday's walk-through.
Cook was limited by a hamstring injury Wednesday, but Thursday's full participation listing suggests he isn't in any danger of sitting out against the Jets in Week 2. In the Bills' season-opening win over Baltimore, Cook turned 18 touches into 102 scrimmage yards and a touchdown while Ray Davis and Ty Johnson combined for 25 yards on four touches.
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Bills' James Cook: Tops 100 scrimmage yards with TD
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Cook rushed 13 times for 44 yards and a touchdown while catching all five of his targets for 58 yards in Sunday's 41-40 win over the Ravens.
Cook heated up after a quiet first half. He scored a two-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter and came two yards shy of tacking on a receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter, settling for a 51-yard gain on the play. Cook led the team in rushing yards and exceeded 100 scrimmage yards while Ty Johnson and Ray Davis combined for just three carries and three targets, so Cook unsurprisingly remains the clear lead back after signing a four-year, $48 million extension in August. Buffalo played catch-up throughout this win and will hope for a better defensive performance, which would allow for a more run-heavy game script, in Week 2 against the Jets.
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Bills' James Cook: Four-year extension with Bills
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Cook and the Bills have reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension for the running back, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN reports.
Per the report, Cook's four-year pact is for $48 million and includes $30 million guaranteed. The 2022 second-rounder, who had returned to practice Tuesday following a four day 'hold-in' is thus a candidate to play against the Bears on Sunday after not seeing any action in the Bills' preseason opener this past Saturday. As the 2025 regular season approaches, Cook remains the clear leader of a Buffalo backfield that also includes Ray Davis and Ty Johnson.
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Bills' James Cook: No return to practice
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Cook (contract) isn't practicing Thursday, Alex Brasky of Bills Digest reports.
Cook is out for a fourth straight practice, after making it clear over the weekend that he was sitting out (or "holding in") for "business" reasons. Bills coach Sean McDermott said Thursday morning that he expected Cook to practice, but the running back wasn't with his teammates when they went out on the field for the start of the session. Ray Davis and Ty Johnson will continue taking most of the first-team snaps in Cook's absence.
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Bills' James Cook: Not practicing Monday
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Cook is present for Monday's practice but not in uniform as he seeks a new contract, Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News reports.
He reported for June minicamp and the start of training camp before switching things up Sunday and seemingly moving to a "hold in" approach -- whereby he shows up to practice and meetings but doesn't do on-field work. When reporters asked him Sunday why he wasn't practicing, Cook simply said "business," a one-word answer that was also his response to the beat writers' other questions. In any case, his absence from practice frees up more first-team reps for Ray Davis and Ty Johnson.
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Bills' James Cook: No practice for 'business' reasons
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Cook didn't practice Sunday and said that the reason was "business" when asked after the session, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Cook is seeking a contract extension, but he reported for training camp and had previously been participating in practice. The star running back worked out on an exercise bike Sunday but didn't take part in team drills, per Sal Capaccio of WGR Sports Radio 550 Buffalo. Cook's explanation for his lack of participation may suggest that he's planning to "hold in," meaning he could show up to practice but not actually take part while he remains without an extension. When Cook was asked Sunday if he'd return to practice Monday, his one-word answer was again "business."
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Bills' James Cook: Practices fully Wednesday
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Cook participated fully in Wednesday's training camp practice, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Cook, who's seeking a new deal with the Bills, wasn't in attendance for voluntary workouts or OTAs in the early spring but was present for the team's mandatory minicamp last month, and he is now "ready to go" for training camp, per coach Sean McDermott, via Alec White of the Bills' official site. As the coming campaign approaches, Cook remains locked in as Buffalo's top back, with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson set to reprise their complementary roles in the team's backfield.
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Bills' James Cook: Reporting for camp
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Cook (contract dispute) is reporting for the start of training camp but won't necessarily be a full participant, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Seeking an extension in the final year of his rookie contract, Cook stayed away from the Bills throughout OTAs before showing up for mandatory minicamp in mid-June. Reports back in June weren't optimistic about progress on an extension, but Pelissero notes that Cook still wants to stay in Buffalo. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network suggests Cook may end up "holding in," which would mean attending practices and meetings (and avoiding fines) but not actually practicing.
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Bills' James Cook: Not at voluntary OTAs
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Cook wasn't present for Tuesday's voluntary organized team activities, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN reports.
While Cook isn't participating in the Bills' voluntary OTAs, coach Sean McDermott noted that he's remained in contact with the running back, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal and seeking a contract extension. "Yeah, we're staying in touch, like you'd expect a player and a coach to do," McDermott said of the 2022 second-rounder. "So, James will be here when he's ready to be here and we move forward." While it remains to be seen whether Cook will be on the field for the team's mandatory minicamp (June 10-12), GM Brandon Beane maintains that he expects Buffalo's leading rusher to be ready to go for the 2025 season. Assuming that's the case, Cook will continue to lead a backfield that returns his top two backups from last season, Ray Davis and Ty Johnson.
