Buffalo Bills running back James Cook started hot but faded late as his team was sent home in Sunday's 27-24 Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, carrying 18 times for 61 yards and catching four passes for 21 yards. With the Bills dominating on the ground in the first half, Cook picked up one chunk gain after another. But the Chiefs stiffened up to stifle Cook during the second half, leaving the 24-year-old with a fairly quiet evening despite his second straight week with 22 touches. Cook undoubtedly took a big step forward in 2023 -- garnering his first Pro Bowl nod and placing third at his position in scrimmage yards -- but his inability to find the end zone was a major shortcoming. Totaling five TDs on the season on 325 touches including the playoffs, Cook also failed to reach the 90-total-yard threshold in any of his final five appearances. That probably shouldn't prevent Cook from being selected as a top-12 fantasy RB, however, in 2024 drafts.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook totaled his highest yardage (84) and catch output (four) since Week 15 in last Monday's 31-17 wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, now putting up 18.8 touches for 62.5 scrimmage yards per game over his last four outings. On top of the 3.3 yards per touch paling in comparison to his regular-season 5.6 YPT, none of Cook's last 13 red-zone touches have resulted in a touchdown. The Kansas City Chiefs have been far leakier on the ground than through the air, however, tying for the fifth-most opponent yards per carry (4.4) in the regular season. With that said, K.C. let in the second-fewest rushing TDs (six) to opposing tailbacks this year. Cook torched the Chiefs for 141 yards and a score on just 15 totes when these sides battled in Week 14, ending as fantasy's PPR RB3 that week. Cook's $6,300 DraftKings salary is the sixth-highest figure among RBs for the Divisional Round, shaping up as a midrange RB1.

From RotoBaller

It was a pretty quiet day for Buffalo Bills running back James Cook when the team defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-17 in Monday's wild-card round, but he still put in 79 yards on 18 rushing attempts and chipped in four receptions for four yards. The Steelers mostly bottled Cook up despite missing all-world defender T.J. Watt (knee) on Monday, as the explosive 24-year-old tailback was only able to round up a long gain of 12 yards on the evening. After Cook's five-game frenzy between Weeks 10 through 15 saw him stockpile at least 100 scrimmage yards in each meeting, the wheels have started to fall off just a bit. Failing to find the end zone since the hot streak ended, Cook has also been unable to transcend the 80-yard marker on the ground during this four-game cold spell. Cook did tally a season-high 83 receiving yards in Week 14 against the Kansas City Chiefs, who he will square off with in next Sunday's Divisional battle.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook handled a featured role fairly well this year, ending as fantasy's overall RB12 in PPR scoring and notching his first career Pro Bowl nod. Though Cook finished behind only Christian McCaffrey and Breece Hall in scrimmage yards (1,567), he's sputtering a bit with just 154 rushing yards in his past three outings ahead of the postseason. It remains to be seen if the 24-year-old former second-rounder has maintained his grip on scoring-area work for Monday's wild-card matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, considering he has zero touchdowns in his last three games despite 11 red-zone touches, but the concerning weather could force both sides to employ a run-heavy approach. At an affordable $6,600 price tag on DraftKings, Cook is firmly in play as an RB1 option with the Bills positioned as double-digit favorites at home against a middling Steelers defense without its heart and soul, T.J. Watt (knee).

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook struggled to gain traction as the team clinched the AFC East championship in Week 18's 21-14 win over the Miami Dolphins, rushing 13 times for 36 yards with three receptions for 16 yards. Cook is among the league leaders at the RB position in dropped passes, and his most notable play of the night was a lowlight. This latest miscue came in the end zone on a drop near the end of the second quarter, and the Bills would go on to come away from that drive empty-handed. The 24-year-old Georgia product has made great strides as an all-purpose back in his second season, but consistency has been a major issue. Cook has now collected just 166 scoreless scrimmage yards in his last three games after wreaking havoc with five straight 100-yard days. Buffalo hopes to get the best version of Cook when the Pittsburgh Steelers come to town for a Wild Card contest next Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is slowing up at the wrong time for fantasy managers after a sensational run of 462 rushing yards (80 carries) with 222 yards on 18 catches and four touchdowns through Weeks 10 to 14. Cook has totaled 118 scoreless ground yards with a loss of four yards on one catch in his past two games, which certainly wasn't what managers were looking for during the fantasy playoffs. The 24-year-old first-time Pro Bowler took a season-high five red-zone touches, however, in the Week 17 home win over the New England Patriots. That silver lining should bode well for Cook's TD prospects in what could be a high-scoring meeting for the AFC East title on Sunday night against the Miami Dolphins, which features the highest implied point total (48) that we'll find on the loaded 16-game slate. Trailing only Christian McCaffrey (calf) among tailbacks in total yards (1,515), Cook is a viable RB1 in Week 18.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook has cooled off dramatically since a stellar five-game hot streak of at least 100 yards in each contest. Although the team found themselves in a run-heavy game script in Week 17's 27-21 win over the New England Patriots, Cook turned 16 carries into 48 scoreless yards and caught one of his three targets for a loss of four yards. New England bottled up the slippery Cook on Sunday, keeping him in check for a long gain of just eight yards. The 2022 second-rounder has certainly improved this season, but he just hasn't been able to find a knack for the end zone. It has seemingly kept Cook out of contention for bell-cow status in Buffalo's backfield all year, as he ceded seven RB opportunities in this one. Though his lack of receiving usage remains odd, Cook will remain an interesting RB1 bet next Sunday night in a potential shootout with the Miami Dolphins.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook's red-hot five-game run of at least 100 total yards in each outing was extinguished last Saturday for 70 scoreless yards and a lost fumble. Even so, Cook registered his highest snap share (72.7%) of the campaign in Week 16. Leonard Fournette was finally promoted from Buffalo's practice squad ahead of that tilt, but he filled in for Ty Johnson and took Latavius Murray's role, handling five carries for 20 yards and not threatening Cook's workload. Cook has been one of the NFL's best all-purpose backs this year, ranking third in rushing yards (1,038) and receiving yards (443) with a highly efficient 10.8 yards per catch and 1.86 yards per route run. The 4-11 New England Patriots have yielded the fifth-most catches (83) to opposing RBs and Cook has two 100-yard days in three career meetings with New England, keeping him firmly in play as an RB1 with plenty of scoring upside at home in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | Bills running back James Cook had 70 rushing yards in a win against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Cook failed to have a single target in the game and lost a fumble. A week after posting his best game of the season, this output represented his worst. It was a brutal and unexpected performance from one of fantasy football's hottest players over the last month. On the plus side, Cook still saw 20 carries and this game seems like an outlier. Better days are likely ahead for but this was a big-time disappointment in one of fantasy football's most important weeks.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook administered a 221-yard volley last Sunday but stumbled as his team escaped with a 24-22 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16, rushing 20 times for 70 scoreless yards. The 24-year-old ran well in the first half before fumbling the football on Buffalo's first play of the second half, but fullback Reggie Gilliam fell on top of it to bail him out. Cook's second mishandled ball was of greater consequence; it was recovered by the Chargers for great field position and led to a go-ahead Bolts field goal. Perhaps something about SoFi Stadium gives Cook the jitters, as the second-year back fumbled on his first career touch in the same building and was promptly doghoused last season. Though it wasn't the curtain call fantasy managers may have envisioned after Cook's Week 15 blitz, the former second-rounder can be trusted as an RB1 at home in Week 17 versus the New England Patriots.

From RotoBaller

On the heels of a 221-yard showcase last Sunday, Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (illness) won't let an illness cost him a Week 16 matchup with a Los Angeles Chargers team that sports one of the NFL's worst defenses. Collecting 21.0 touches for 141.1 total yards per game with four total touchdowns since offensive coordinator Joe Brady took over in Week 11, Cook has registered four straight finishes as fantasy's RB12 or better in full-PPR scoring. Cook's Week 10 fumble may have been the best thing that could have happened; he's rattled off five consecutive 100-yard showings ever since. The 24-year-old is now up to second in rushing yards (968) and yards per catch (10.9) among RBs after Week 15's surge. The Bolts have yielded the second-most catches to RBs (90). Cook may not be a workhorse as the leader of a backfield committee with Latavius Murray and Ty Johnson, but he's in the top-five RB1 conversation on Saturday.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (illness) took the day off from practice on Wednesday because he was feeling under the weather. Cook's status is worth monitoring for Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers, but he should be fine to suit up by then. The 24-year-old exploded for his best game of the 2023 season in the Week 15 demolition of the Dallas Cowboys, as he posted season-highs in rushing attempts (25) and rushing yards (179) while scoring only his second rushing touchdown of the year. As long as he's active this weekend, the second-year back needs to be in all starting fantasy lineups in an excellent matchup against a Los Angeles Chargers defense that just surrendered a whopping 63 points to the Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills' RB James Cook scored an impressive 36.10 fantasy points in Sunday's Week 15 win against the Cowboys. Cook ran for 179 yards and caught two passes for 42 yards with two touchdowns. It's the 2nd time this season Cook scored at least 25 fantasy points in a game.

Dynasty | James Cook had 179 rushing yards, two catches, 42 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a win against Dallas. Dynasty Analysis: Cook was one of the most polarizing players this off-season. Many felt he could be a true RB1 in the Buffalo offense with Devin Singletary and Zack Moss out of the way. Through 12 weeks, he was relatively effective but far from dominant. However, he's been on a big-time heater after the bye week with back-to-back monster performances. This week, he and the Bills overwhelmed Dallas. Cook looks like THE player who is going to decide fantasy championships this season and his off-season dynasty ranking is on the rise.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook dismantled the vaunted Dallas Cowboys defense in Week 15's easy 31-10 win, rushing 25 times for 179 yards and a touchdown with two catches for 42 yards and another score. Cook could have sent his fantasy managers further into orbit on Sunday evening, as Latavius Murray and Josh Allen vultured two TDs and Cook dropped a pass near the goal line in the third quarter. But Cook still authored an utter masterpiece here, first scoring on an 18-yard pass and later putting the cherry on top of his Week 15 cake when he flipped into the end zone for a 24-yard TD run in the fourth period. The Georgia product is playing at an extraordinarily high level, churning out 136.8 total yards on 19.6 touches per game with four TDs in five games since Week 10. Peaking at the right time, Cook has forced his way into the RB1 stratum against a potentially packed-in Los Angeles Chargers group in Week 16 on Saturday.

From RotoBaller

Bills' RB James Cook ran for 179 yards on 25 carries with one touchdown in Sunday's win against the Cowboys.

A Week 10 fumble and ensuing benching may have served as Buffalo Bills running back James Cook's wake-up call. Cook has tallied four straight 100-yard showings, with his role having undergone a transformation since Buffalo installed offensive coordinator Joe Brady in Week 11. Though Cook's snap rate has dropped, the Bills are featuring the 2022 second-round pick by designing plays to scheme the ball into his hands and utilize his elusiveness, maximizing his playing time. And what he may lack in opportunity and touchdown chances, Cook's explosiveness (5.9 yards per touch) compensates for it with big-play upside out of the backfield. While we might be remiss to rank the red-hot Cook as a fantasy RB1 due to a snap share south of 50% since Brady took over, the 24-year-old is on the highest end of the RB2 spectrum for a rigid draw in Week 15 against a Dallas Cowboys defense yielding the third-fewest fantasy points per game to RBs.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills' RB James Cook scored 25.10 fantasy points in Sunday's Week 14 win in Kansas City. Cook ran for 58 yards and caught five passes for 83 yards with one touchdown. It's the 1st time this season Cook scored at least 25 fantasy points in a game.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook recorded his fourth consecutive 100-yard showing in Week 14's key 20-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, rushing 10 times for 58 yards with five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Cook tormented the Chiefs out of the backfield, doing his damage through the air all in the first half. After dropping a would-be 30-yard TD on a wheel route in the first quarter of his last game, Cook made no mistake up the seam from 25 yards away this time around. The 24-year-old's recent surge is strangely accompanied by less than 50% of Buffalo's offensive snaps in each of his prior four outings. While Cook has certainly been highly productive since the Bills installed offensive coordinator Joe Brady in Week 11, fantasy managers may want to hold off on popping bottles until his snap rate irons out a bit. Cook is an RB2 with an arduous task looming ahead in the form of the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Mistakes have impeded a true Year 2 breakout out of Buffalo Bills running James Cook. Cook lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage in Week 10 and dropped a 30-yard touchdown in the first quarter of Week 12. A strange trend has formed for Cook; he's occupied less than 50% of Buffalo's offensive snaps in each of their prior three outings but racked up at least 100 total yards each time out. The 24-year-old's identity remains his receiving talent, ranking fourth among RBs in yards per catch (9.3) and tenth in yards per route run (1.57). The Kansas City Chiefs have struggled a bit to stop the run lately with 127.1 average rushing yards allowed for 4.8 yards per carry over their last seven matchups. With Leonard Fournette still dwelling on the practice squad, Cook remains the Bills' nominal lead back for Week 14 as a fringe RB2/3 with upside in what could be a high-scoring affair.

From RotoBaller