Who Should I Start? James Cook or Bucky Irving


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

James Cook News

James Cook a Strong RB1 in Fantasy Coming Off Career Year

Wednesday, March 18, 3:05 PM

The Buffalo Bills are in win-now mode, and running back James Cook is one of their primary weapons on offense behind Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen. Cook made his third straight Pro Bowl in 2025 in his fourth year in the NFL and had a career year, leading the league in rushing yardage (1,621) with 12 rushing touchdowns on a career-high 309 carries in 17 regular-season starts. The 26-year-old led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024 and doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The former second-round pick in 2022 out of Georgia finished as the RB5 in half-PPR scoring in 2025, behind only Christian McCaffrey, Jonathan Taylor, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs. In addition to his big numbers on the ground, Cook added 33 receptions for 291 yards and another two touchdowns through the air. Cook will go into the 2026 campaign as the clear workhorse for a Bills' offense that led the league with 159.6 rushing yards per game last year. He'll give fantasy managers a strong floor as a high-end RB1 this fall.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Bucky Irving News

Bucky Irving Could See Reduced Workload in 2026 and Beyond

Monday, March 30, 11:59 AM

After a breakout rookie season in which he totaled over 1,500 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving recorded an underwhelming follow-up campaign in 2025. The 23-year-old recorded 865 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns on 203 touches, and missed seven games due to foot and shoulder injuries. In the offseason, Tampa Bay signed veteran back Kenneth Gainwell to a two-year, $14 million contract. Gainwell recorded 73 receptions for 486 yards on 85 targets as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, so he figures to take some work away from Irving in the Buccaneers' passing game at the very least. After Irving's injury-plagued 2025, Tampa Bay could be prioritizing keeping him healthy throughout the season by limiting his touches on a game-to-game basis. Irving still carries significant fantasy upside in dynasty formats, but he profiles more as an RB2 than a sure-fire RB1 heading into 2026.


James Cook vs. Bucky Irving

Still trying to decide between Cook and Irving? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that James Cook is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Bucky Irving is projected to score 0.0 points.