Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or James Cook

Friday, December 12, 5:02 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is a potential streaming option in Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have been middle-of-the-road against opposing quarterbacks in fantasy this season. Additionally, when Darnold is firing on all cylinders, he is virtually matchup-proof. Darnold should have no issues finding his top wide receivers in this game. If he keeps the turnovers down, Darnold has a great chance to hover around 250 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Darnold had faltered over the last handful of weeks before getting back on track in the second half of Week 14 against the Falcons. Perhaps he can carry that momentum into this week. Darnold is not a must-start by any means, but if you have a tough quarterback situation, you could do a lot worse than Darnold in Week 1 of the fantasy playoffs.

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.