James Cook NFL Rookie Profile - Fantasy Football Running Back Outlook

Kyle Lindemann's fantasy football rookie analysis for Buffalo Bills running back James Cook. Is this NFL rookie RB a 2022 fantasy football draft sleeper?

If you want to start a Twitter squabble, just come out and say that James Cook is your RB2 of the 2022 Rookie Class. From podcasts, articles, Tweets, and conversations with fellow people in the dynasty community, it appears that the community's opinion of him at the moment is a very split one with strong opinions on both sides.

The younger brother of Vikings Running Back Dalvin Cook, James was a five-star recruit out of Miami, FL who chose to play at Georgia. He was rated as the number one all-purpose running back in his class with a total of 16 different offers. Cook didn't see the field as much as many would have liked during his time at Georgia in order to showcase the ability to be a workhorse running back, but he put up great numbers and thrived in the passing game when he did.

Let's determine a realistic outcome for his fantasy value in 2022 and beyond.

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Player Profile

Team: Buffalo Bills
College: Georgia
Hometown: Miami, FL
Height/Weight: 5-11, 199 lbs
Measurables: 30 3/4" arms. 9 3/8" hands
Drafted: Round 2 - Pick 31 (63rd overall)

College Production

Now it's understandable for someone to see the stats and think: "that's it?" While the stats definitely look good, the sample size could have been bigger. When Cook arrived, the backfield was crowded early on at Georgia and he was stuck behind D'Andre Swift for 2018 and 2019. Cook got to play more in 2020 and 2021 but he was sharing a backfield with Zamir White and things got even more crowded in his final season.

What's important to consider for the safe of context is that a part of UGA's plan was to put the game in the hands of their defense while featuring multiple running backs to wear down defenses. The plan worked to perfection as UGA beat Michigan in the semifinal and got revenge on Alabama by taking home the National Championship. In the semifinal against UM, Cook rushed six times for 32 yards but caught four passes for 109 yards and a TD and showcased to the nation his dynamic abilities as a pass-catcher.

2022 Fantasy Outlook

As mentioned previously, the consensus on James Cook so far has been all over the board, but being that we are early on in the dead season before training camp starts that is typically common until the hype trains begin churning. Fantasy Pros has Cook listed as the RB40 on their half PPR redraft rankings. While everyone has their own set of rankings, I have seen him going in about Round 10-11 in all of the 1QB half PPR mock drafts I have personally participated in on Yahoo.

Cook steps into an offense in Buffalo that was third in PPG in 2021 with 28.4 and fifth in total yards with 6,493. While Devin Singletary is currently ahead of him on the depth chart, Singletary is a free agent after the 2022 season, which means things could be wide open for Cook after this year.

Cook profiles best as a situational pass-catcher with upside in full PPR leagues, but there are concerns about his durability to run consistently between the tackles being that he didn't do so in college. Cook weighs under 200 lbs. and only had 230 carries in four seasons at Georgia. While none of that means that Cook can't be a three-down back in the NFL, the good news is he doesn't have to be in order to be good for fantasy. Cook already goes to one of the most prolific offenses in the league with Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and plenty of other talented players. He will be provided with plenty of scoring and reception opportunities.

2022 Rookie Drafts & Dynasty Outlook

Right now, Cook is going somewhere between the 1.09 and 2.03 on average in most rookie drafts. As far as his overall dynasty ranking, he is the RB27 on Keep Trade Cut. While KTC is not what we should be taking as his absolute value, he is also listed as the RB32 on Fantasy Pros' current full PPR Dynasty rankings, so generally, we can see he is going somewhere around RB30.

Cook profiles as an excellent pass catcher out of the backfield. The complex issue that must be solved is how Cook's abilities translate to the NFL and the Buffalo offense. Previous offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has departed to become the head coach of the New York Giants and formed QB Coach Ken Dorsey will now step in as the OC. Daboll's offense passed a lot and involved Josh Allen using his legs on plenty of plays. Being that Allen has solidified himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, could it be that the Bills don't want his body to take such a beating from running all the time?

Earlier in the offseason, the Bills had agreed to a deal with former Commanders Running Back, J.D. McKissic, but the RB changed his mind and returned to Washington at the last minute. Bills General Manager Brandon Beane told the local Buffalo media that they see Cook as a versatile sub back whose role will mostly be as a pass-catcher. The main RB in Buffalo, Devin Singletary has seen over 100 targets combined in the last two seasons and more of those should be going Cook's way. Per Brandon Croce of The Buffalo Lowdown, Singletary ranked second to last of all running backs in the league by averaging just 5.7 yards per reception.

Conclusion

If Cook's career follows much of the same path as J.D. McKissic, it will be difficult for him to finish as an RB1 without seeing the consistent carries. Being that he winds up in Buffalo and has the opportunity to take over the backfield for 2023. While many have appeared to have taken a hard stance on Cook, it is possible that he winds up somewhere in the middle between workhorse and situational running back. The best way to view him right now without taking on too much risk is as a potential RB2 with an upside whose value will be highest in full PPR leagues.

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