Who Should I Start? James Conner or James Cook

Monday, July 15, 7:07 PM

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner may have recorded a career-high 1,040 rushing yards in 2023, but he hopes that was his floor and he can build on that total in 2024. "That's the floor," Conner told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. "I want that to be the lowest I rush for in my career going forward. Definitely got a lot of work to put in but that's the floor, not the ceiling." Now 29 years old, Conner still has a solid grasp on the Cardinals' No. 1 running back role even after Arizona added Trey Benson in the draft. He has continued to show that he can make an impact on the ground and through the air, entering 2024 as a solid RB2 option in most fantasy football leagues.

Wednesday, June 12, 4:36 PM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook dropped five passes last season, which ranked sixth among all qualified running backs. Early in offseason activities, the third-year pro out of Georgia has continued to struggle in that area, according to Bills reporter Alex Brasky. "James Cook allowed a pass to bounce off his hands, high into the air near the start of team drills at Wednesday's mandatory minicamp." Brasky wrote, "Cook encountered issues with drops last season and has done little to ramp down those concerns during offseason activities." While this is somewhat of a concern, it can often be overplayed when analyzing a player's fantasy football value. After catching 44 passes for 445 yards and ranking second among running backs in yards per reception, the team is unlikely to pull back his receiving workload. That said, rookie fourth-rounder Ray Davis caught 62 passes over his final two collegiate seasons in the SEC and could become a factor on third downs.