Who Should I Start? Derrick Henry or James Cook

Saturday, October 4, 2:05 PM

Even without MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring), Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry still should be considered an RB1 candidate when his team takes on the Houston Texans in Week 5. The veteran running back is coming off a low-volume dud last week during a blowout loss at Kansas City, but should be the focal point of the Baltimore offense on Sunday. Houston allows opponents to score at the lowest rate in the NFL, but is only middle of the pack against fantasy running backs. The Ravens will need Henry to be involved early and often, which should keep him locked into fantasy lineups.

Saturday, October 4, 5:51 AM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III draws a difficult matchup in Week 5 against a Patriots defense that has surrendered just 77.5 rushing yards per game, tied for second-fewest in the league. While Cook may find tough sledding between the tackles, his versatility as a receiver should keep him firmly in the RB1 mix. Last week against Baltimore, he managed only 44 yards on the ground but offset that with 58 yards through the air, showing his ability to remain productive even when the rushing lanes are clogged. In what projects to be one of Buffalo's biggest games of the season, the Bills will likely lean on Cook in multiple ways to generate offense. Fantasy managers should continue to view him as a high-end starting option in both standard and PPR formats.