The Buffalo Bills are on quite an impressive run, but the job isn’t done yet as they play in the biggest game of the regular season.
The Bills will take on the Miami Dolphins in a game that will decide the AFC East. The Dolphins are in the playoffs regardless of the outcome. That isn’t the case for the Bills, as a loss — paired with a Steelers win and a Jaguars win — will eliminate them from the playoffs.
With that in mind, you can expect the Bills to go all-out to get the win. Can fantasy football managers trust James Cook, Leonard Fournette, or Ty Johnson in Week 18?
Should You Start James Cook in Fantasy This Week?
Three weeks ago against the Dallas Cowboys, Cook was the talk of the fantasy world. He rushed for 179 yards and a touchdown in the game, while also catching three passes for 42 yards and another touchdown.
His impressive year includes 1,086 rushing yards and two touchdowns, along with 41 catches for 429 yards and four touchdowns. His ability to make plays both as a runner and receiver has made him one of the better fantasy running backs this season.
Last week, he struggled in the game against the New England Patriots, as he rushed the ball 16 times for only 48 yards. In the first matchup against the Dolphins, he rushed the ball 12 times for 29 yards, but he was able to score a touchdown. He also had a 48-yard catch.
The Dolphins are currently ranked No. 7 against the run, allowing 95.1 yards per contest — but the defense is dealing with some tough injuries. Bradley Chubb tore his ACL, and star cornerback Xavien Howard isn’t expected to play either.
If the Bills are going to win this game, you can expect that Cook is going to be involved in the offensive game plan in a big way. If you are a fantasy manager with Cook on your team, you should have him in your lineup.
Should You Start Leonard Fournette in Fantasy This Week?
Fournette was signed by the Bills at the end of October, and played a little bit against the Los Angeles Chargers back on Dec. 23. In that game, he had five carries for 20 yards.
However, he hasn’t played since then, so it is hard to think that the Bills will use him in a big way in a game with so much riding on it. Would I be shocked if he gets the ball a few times in this game? No, not at all. However, there is just no way that Fournette should be in your lineup this week.
Should You Start Ty Johnson in Fantasy This Week?
Johnson got the ball in the matchup against the Patriots last week, finishing with five carries for 22 yards in the game. On the season, he has 29 carries for 127 yards, but hasn’t been able to find the end zone.
Much like Fournette, there is nothing that indicates Johnson will be involved much in this game. The stakes are so high, which projects Josh Allen to have the ball in his hands for much of this game.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
If they do choose to lean on the run game, Cook is by far the most likely guy to have a big game as the lead option out of this backfield.
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s Consensus Rankings say that Cook is the player to start. His projected 17.3 points include a projection of 73 rushing yards, 4 receptions, and 34 yards.
If he gets a touchdown with those numbers, he will be a top fantasy RB this week. These numbers are significantly higher than either Fournette (4.7) or Johnson (2.1).
This is a no-brainer, and the Optimizer is spot on. Of these three running backs, Cook is the only one who should be in your lineup.
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, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
