Josh Allen might have won the 2024 NFL MVP Award, but James Cook was just as vital to the Buffalo Bills' success on offense.
Cook rushed for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns while adding 32 receptions for 258 yards with two more trips into the end zone. His performance was not only excellent for the Bills but also made him one of the hottest names in Fantasy Football.
According to ESPN's Tyler Fulghum, however, that success might be short-lived. Fulgham selected his top "bust" candidate this season, and said Cook is a player who "screams regression."
"James Cook screams regression candidate in 2025, especially with his ADP hovering around RB10 to RB12. Despite scoring a combined nine total TDs in his first two seasons, Cook exploded in 2024 with 18 total TDs -- including a league-leading 16 on the ground. With Josh Allen continuing to dominate goal-line work and second-year RB Ray Davis earning more opportunities, Cook's touchdown rate relative to his volume of touches is simply not sustainable." — Fulghum, ESPN
It's hard to understand where Fulghum is coming from. Unless he expects Cook to hold out due to his contract situation, it seems ridiculous to expect a major decline.
Cook might have exploded when it came to touchdowns in 2024, but he already proved to be a workhorse before that. As a rookie in 2022, he had 507 yards and two touchdowns while sharing the backfield with Devin Singletary. Once he became the featured back in 2023, he recorded 1,122 yards on the ground and 445 through the air with six total touchdowns.
That said, there's a chance Cook sees fewer trips across the goal line, which isn't hard to believe given the sheer number of touchdowns he scored last year. Calling him a bust, however, feels like a major stretch.
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