Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or James Cook

Friday, October 24, 10:46 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has had his two worst fantasy performances of the season in his last two appearances, having failed to find the end zone since Week 5. Barkley got back to his high-usage ways last week against the Vikings, but was stifled to just 42 total yards on 19 touches. This weekend the Giants visit Philly, and while he had trouble finding much momentum the last time these teams faced off in Week 6, that can partly be attributed to the Eagles having to play much of that game from behind. The Giants allow 125.1 rushing yards per game (11th-most in the league), and it feels unlikely for Barkley to have two busts in the same season against his former team. Despite his rough patch, he still gets more than enough looks to be considered a solid RB1 in Week 8.

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.