Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or James Cook

Wednesday, June 4, 6:22 PM

When asked about retirement down the road, Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley said could eventually be a spur-of-the-moment decision. "I'll probably be one of those guys that it would be out of nowhere," Barkley said. "I'll probably just wake up one day, whether it's next year or two years or four years and just be like, 'yeah, it's over.'" The 28-year-old had an eventful first year in Philly in 2024, leading the league in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005) and yards per game (125.3) in 16 regular-season starts while helping the Eagles win their second Super Bowl championship. It's hard to see the volume staying so high as he nears the dreaded 30-year-old mark for RBs, but as long as he stays healthy, Barkley should continue to be a high-end RB1 in fantasy in one of the best offenses in the NFL. While there's a lot to like about the three-time Pro Bowler, he'll also be one of the bigger bust candidates thanks to his injury history.

Saturday, June 14, 11:05 AM

ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg writes that Buffalo Bills running back James Cook, despite seeking a contract extension, was a full participant in the team's three-day mandatory minicamp this week. General manager Brandon Beane said the "relationship's very good and I know [Cook's] going to be ready to roll when we get to [training camp in] Rochester." Cook said earlier this week that he plans to be at training camp this summer, but he didn't specify if he'd actually be taking part in workouts. Beane said Cook "looks good out there. You can tell he's been working." It sounds like the two sides are working towards a deal, but Cook could hold in during training camp. Cook was the RB8 in half-PPR scoring in 2024 with his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season and a league-high 16 rushing TDs. Regression is coming in the TD department after he scored four rushing touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons.