Who Should I Start? Alvin Kamara or James Cook

Saturday, September 6, 10:26 AM

It's no surprise that New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is locked in as the Saints' lead back ahead of Kendre Miller and rookie Devin Neal. Despite coaching changes, offensive line struggles, and shaky quarterback play, Kamara has averaged over 1,440 total yards and 10 touchdowns per season across eight years. The Saints' offense is likely to run through him, with Kamara handling the bulk of carries and seeing heavy involvement in the passing game. At 30, he enters the "dreaded" age for running backs, and it remains to be seen if his production as a pass-catcher will start to decline. With second-year QB Spencer Rattler under center, the offense as a whole is questionable, but Kamara profiles as a high-upside RB2 for Week 1 against the Cardinals.

Friday, September 5, 1:23 PM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he unexpectedly tied for the NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns after tallying just two in the previous season. He also surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground for the second year in a row, but fantasy managers may have to temper expectations in Week 1. Cook is set to battle the Baltimore Ravens, who boasted the league's top-ranked run defense last season, when the teams kick off Sunday. The Ravens held opposing rushers to a paltry 3.6 yards per carry - a far cry from Cook's 4.9 YPC. Cook faced the Ravens twice in 2024 and combined for 106 yards on 26 carries, four catches for another 24 yards, and zero scores. The explosive 25-year-old enters 2025 as a high-end RB2 in fantasy, but with the Ravens standing in his way, Cook may not storm out of the gates in the opener.