Who Should I Start? Kenneth Walker III or James Cook III
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.0 | 65.0 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 20.9 | 0.1 |
Kenneth Walker III News
Tuesday, July 7, 7:34 AM
The Athletic's Jesse Newell writes that new running back Kenneth Walker III's "work ethic and no-nonsense style have already been an early culture fit" this offseason alongside Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. The Chiefs paid up for Walker in free agency on a three-year deal, hoping that he'll add an explosive element to their running game that was sorely lacking in 2025 with the combination of Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco. The infusion of Walker's work ethic and no-nonsense style has been welcomed after they believed "their work standard and attention to detail slipped" during last year's 6-11 campaign. The 25-year-old had his second 1,000-yard rushing season in four years in the NFL in his final season in Seattle, and he capped it off by being named Super Bowl MVP in the Seahawks' win over the New England Patriots back in early February. If Walker is used more as a pass-catcher in Bieniemy's offense, he'll have an even higher floor as an RB1 in fantasy, although his lengthy history of lower-body injuries also gives him plenty of bust potential. RotoBaller currently has Walker ranked as the No. 9 fantasy RB for his first year in KC in 2026.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.9 | 80.5 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 15.8 | 0.1 |
James Cook III News
Monday, July 6, 6:01 AM
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III tied for the league lead with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024, and while those calling for regression ahead of the 2025 season were technically right, Cook was able to pair his 12 touchdown runs with 1,621 yards on the ground and the first rushing crown of his career. Cook has finished as the RB8 and RB6 in the past two seasons, and with Buffalo's offense remaining largely intact for 2026, there is no reason to expect any significant falloff. The largest change comes at the top, where Joe Brady will take over as head coach, though his previous promotion to offensive coordinator coincided with Cook's breakout, and no team has scored more offensive touchdowns across his two full seasons as playcaller. While the offseason trade for veteran receiver DJ Moore could allow for perennial MVP-contender Josh Allen to again throw for more than 4,000 yards, something he has not done in either of Cook's RB1 seasons, a more balanced offense could also lead to more scoring opportunities on the ground. Despite Allen scoring rushing touchdowns at a historic rate in recent years, Cook has still been one of the league's most active backs from within the five-yard line over the past two seasons, and he is RotoBaller's RB5 for 2026.
Kenneth Walker III vs. James Cook III
Still trying to decide between Walker III and Cook III? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kenneth Walker III is projected to score 15.0 points this week while James Cook III is projected to score 15.9 points.
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