Who Should I Start? Justice Hill or James Cook

Monday, December 1, 3:12 PM

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that running back Justice Hill (neck) will be out three to four weeks with a disc issue in his neck, but there's still a chance that he will return this year, according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun. Hill injured his neck in practice early last week and landed on Injured Reserve before the Thanksgiving Day loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night. The 28-year-old pass-catching back will miss at least three more games, but he will be eligible to return from IR in Week 17 on the road at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. Keaton Mitchell was starting to take on a bigger role behind starter Derrick Henry even before Hill was injured, so if he does return before the end of the 2025 regular season, Hill could be Baltimore's RB3 on passing downs. He only has 18 rushing attempts on the year for 93 yards and two TDs, adding 169 receiving yards and one score.

Saturday, December 13, 5:18 AM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook has handled 83 carries over his last four games, totaling 388 rushing yards and one touchdown while adding 11 receptions for 143 yards and another score. The 26-year-old ranks second in the NFL with 1,308 rushing yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Cook faces a formidable challenge against a Patriots defense that ranks third in the league, allowing just 89.5 rushing yards per game and five rushing touchdowns all season. New England surrendered just 49 yards on 15 carries to Cook in their Week 5 meeting. Despite the difficult matchup, Cook's workhorse role remains secure with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson serving as change-of-pace options behind him. His 20.8 carries per game over the last month demonstrate elite volume, though modest receiving usage limits PPR upside against a stingy Patriots front. Cook ranks as RotoBaller's RB10 in PPR formats for Week 15.