Who Should I Start? James Cook or Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Saturday, October 11, 1:46 PM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook will face one of his toughest challenges of the season when he takes on Atlanta's sixth-ranked run defense on Monday night. The Falcons have excelled at controlling time of possession and limiting offensive opportunities, though they've allowed a 44.7% scoring rate on drives, leaving the door open for Cook to find the end zone. The third-year back is averaging 107.8 scrimmage yards and one touchdown per game, but he's coming off a sluggish performance against New England's opportunistic defense. While Cook's volume and role in Buffalo's high-powered offense keep him in RB1 territory, fantasy managers should temper expectations--his Week 6 success will likely hinge on finding pay dirt against a disciplined Falcons front.

Wednesday, October 8, 1:09 PM

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (shoulder) was removed from the final Week 6 injury report on Wednesday and will be active to face the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football, according to Dan Salomone of Giants.com. Tracy will be returning from a two-game absence due to a dislocated right shoulder that he suffered in the Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. It's good news for the Giants' offense, but Tracy's fantasy managers may want to temper expectations in his first game back. Rookie Cam Skattebo handled lead-back duties in Tracy's absence and is expected to be the preferred backfield option moving forward over Tracy. In the first three games of the year, Tracy averaged just 3.1 yards per carry for 68 yards on 22 rushing attempts. We'd recommend fading Tracy in fantasy in his first game back, especially in a poor matchup.