How much will the Buffalo Bills‘ decision to change their offensive coordinator from Ken Dorsey to Joe Brady impact their offense and, for the purposes of this story, their running game. Let’s take a look at the fantasy football outlook for James Cook and Leonard Fournette this week.
Should You Start James Cook or Leonard Fournette This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Cook is the player to start. His projected 10.6 points include 46 rushing yards, two catches, and 21 receiving yards. That projected stat line outperforms the consensus projections of Fournette (5.6 points).
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My ranking for these two running backs aligns with the consensus. Fumbles aside, Cook had a productive game versus the Denver Broncos last week. While he may not be one of the top candidates to start at running back in fantasy, if it’s a choice between Cook and Fournette, for the moment, I feel as if you have to go with the player that has been on the field this season.
Fantasy Outlook for Cook This Week
Cook certainly had an eventful Monday night game against the Broncos. One one hand, Cook rushed for 109 yards, his second 100-yard rushing game of the season — the other came in Week 2 versus the Las Vegas Raiders.
On the other hand, Cook fumbled twice, and lost one of them, which supposedly got him a trip to the bench. He returned toward the end of the first half and fumbled again late in the fourth quarter, but that one miraculously bounced back into his arms during a 42-yard run.
Just how good Cook has been this season is open for debate. While he ranks sixth in the NFL in total rushing yards (615), of the top 10 leaders in rushing yards, he is the only one with fewer than two touchdown runs — Cook’s only touchdown run came in Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins.
The Bills host the New York Jets on Sunday, and even though the Jets have a good defense against the pass — Jets rank third in pass yards per game allowed at 169.3 — they have the league’s second-worst rush defense, allowing 138.4 yards per game.
The first time they met back in Week 1, Cook finished with 46 rush yards and four receptions for 17 yards.
Fantasy Outlook for Fournette This Week
There have been a lot of rumblings about how, with Brady now operating as the offensive coordinator, Fournette will finally get a chance to get on the field. It does feel like it’s only a matter of time until the former Pro Bowler gets his shot, but until that happens, it’s difficult to see anyone deciding to start him over Cook in any fantasy lineup.
The Optimizer projects Fournette to finish with 14 rush yards and two receptions for 14 yards.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!