James Cook broke his silence about his contract and a potential holdout. What does this mean for his fantasy football value heading into the 2025 fantasy football season?
Cook comes off a regression season in touches (239 – 281) while missing one game with a toe issue in Week 5. His step back in touches was due to Buffalo rotating in two other backs. Despite his weaker opportunity, the Bills beefed up his value in scoring (21 touchdowns – including the postseason). They had him on the field for 44.9% of their plays.
He finished eighth in running back scoring (266.70) in PPR formats, averaging 1.09 fantasy points per touch. Cooks was at his best in five matchups (28.50, 28.30, 26.30, 27.60, and 28.40 fantasy points), helped by a floor of two scores in each game. Buffalo gave him 15.7 touches per game for his 19 starts, highlighted by six games (23, 22, 20, 20, 23, and 20).
James Cook 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook
Cook’s scoring accounted for 40.9% of his fantasy points (266.70) in PPR formats last season. He ranks 14th at running back in early May in the high-stakes market. His floor should be about 1,300 combined yards, with a wide scoring range. Cook helps his fantasy value in catches, but he must see more chances to be consistent weekly. I expect the fantasy market to continue to fade his previous success, making him a player who falls into the steady value category.
