JamesCook III

News: 4 days agoCook rushed 21 times for 135 yards and a touchdown and brought in one of three targets for four yards in the Bills' 41-31 win over the Lions on Thursday.

Spin: Cook repeatedly gashed a Lions defense that came in with a reputation for being stingy against the run, more than atoning for a lackluster Week 1 showing against the Texans just four days earlier. The star running back rounded out his fantasy night with the final score of the high-scoring clash for the Bills, recording a one-yard touchdown run with just under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Cook's multiple explosive runs throughout the night served as a reminder of why he earned such lofty draft status this summer, and he'll remain a critical component of a juggernaut Bills offense in a Week 3 home matchup against the Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 27.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Cook signed a contract extension last offseason and was immediately vaulted into the biggest role of his career. The 2022 second-round NFL draft pick finished in the top five among backs in carries, rushing yards (league-high 1,621), touchdowns and yards per carry (5.25). The one limiting factor in Cook's fantasy output was a minimal receiving role (his 40 targets ranked 26th among RBs), but he still came through with a sixth-place finish in fantasy points. The 26-year-old is set to play the same role in Joe Brady's scheme and will be a candidate for his third straight double-digit touchdown campaign as long as Josh Allen is under center. Consider Cook a midrange RB1.