Who Should I Start? Cordarrelle Patterson or James Cook

Sunday, December 22, 8:28 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Cordarrelle Patterson converted his lone target into a 12-yard touchdown catch during Saturday's Week 16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Patterson touched the ball just once on offense this week, but he made the most of it as he withstood contact from a defender and held on to the football for six points. The 33-year-old continues to have a steady depth role in Pittsburgh, registering a total of 132 rushing yards, 80 receiving yards, and one touchdown this year. He's off the fantasy radar in most leagues.

Thursday, May 8, 7:58 AM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook skipped the initial portion of the team's voluntary offseason workout program, but general manager Brandon Beane expects him to be ready for football when the time comes. Cook's holdout stems from contract talks, which are ongoing between the running back and team executives. "I know we've had people in the building that he's been talking with, and I have no doubt when it's time to play football, he'll be ready to roll," Beane said. Although an exact timeline is unclear, Cook could return as soon as June 10, when the Bills begin their mandatory minicamp for veteran players. Per the terms of the CBA, any player who misses all three days of mandatory minicamp will be hit with fines exceeding $100,000 total. That amount could be a drop in the bucket compared to Cook's next contract, but it's still a significant price to pay for missing three days of practice. Extending Cook would be in the Bills' best interest after he totaled 1,267 scrimmage yards and a career-high 18 touchdowns last season.