Who Should I Start? Jaylen Warren or James Cook

Tuesday, September 30, 7:04 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (knee) was a surprise inactive before Week 4's win over the Minnesota Vikings. In his absence, Kenneth Gainwell exploded for 134 total yards and two touchdowns. Though Gainwell's performance could earn him more volume in the coming weeks, Warren was very effective as a pass-catcher through his first three games with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and should reclaim RB1 duties when he returns. The utilization of Darnell Washington in Pittsburgh's offense seemed to open up running lanes last week, so fantasy managers should be optimistic about Warren's potential going forward. The 26-year-old will now have the bye in Week 5 to get healthy ahead of a divisional bout with the stingy Cleveland Browns defense.

Sunday, September 28, 9:47 PM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook posted another huge game in Week 4 in his team's 31-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Cook recorded 117 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries and added three catches for 18 yards for good measure as well. The 26-year-old has now logged 401 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 75 carries and 12 receptions for 89 yards through his first four games of 2025. He dominated backfield touches in Week 4, earning 22 out of 24 rush attempts by running backs for Buffalo against New Orleans. As long as he's healthy, Cook is a must-start fantasy running back.