Who Should I Start? Alvin Kamara or James Cook

Thursday, January 1, 4:53 PM

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) remained sidelined from his team's practice on Thursday, per ESPN's Katherine Terrell. Kamara has missed five consecutive games after suffering a sprained MCL in Week 12 and appears unlikely to return for the team's Week 18 finale against the Atlanta Falcons. Across 11 games before getting injured, the 30-year-old recorded 657 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 164 touches. Fellow Saints running backs Kendre Miller (knee) and Devin Neal (hamstring) are both on Injured Reserve, so the team is currently quite shorthanded at the position. Second-year back Audric Estime functioned as New Orleans' lead back in Week 17, with running back Evan Hull and tight end Taysom Hill mixing in as well. Assuming Kamara remains sidelined, Estime profiles as a high-end flex option for fantasy managers in Week 18.

Saturday, December 27, 10:18 AM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook was dominant in Week 16's win over the Cleveland Browns, totaling 134 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on just 17 touches. Cook has ascended once again in the 2025 season, jumping from 79.2 scrimmage yards per game in 2024 to 121.3 this season. He currently leads the NFL in rushing yards and ranks RB6 in PPR formats. The Bills host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17, who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs this season. While star defensive tackle Jalen Carter will be active this week for the Eagles, Cook and the Bills are running the ball with ease, so fantasy managers should expect more dominance from the fourth-year back.