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James Cook entered the 2022 season with a high upside after being selected by the Buffalo Bills with the No. 63 pick of the draft.
A dynamic running back who is effective as a receiver out of the backfield could put up big numbers in the Bills' offense. And Cook did do well when he was on the field. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry, fourth-most amongst 2022 rookies, and he caught 21 passes, fifth-most. But Cook was only out on the field for 139 snaps, half as many as his teammate Devin Singletary.
Now Singletary appears to be headed for free agency. Will Cook have an expanded role in 2023?
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Will James Cook Have An Expanded Role In 2023?
Bills General Manager Brandon Beane said, "We're excited about Cook and looking forward to what he can do in Year 2, especially with an expanded workload and more touches.”
If the Bills might draft another running back on day two, that’s not necessarily a sign that they are unconfident in Cook. Every team needs multiple capable running backs these days.
However, some analysts, Mel Kiper among them, suggest that the Bills might draft Texas running back Bijan Robinson. If they invest that much in a running back who is more talented, then James’ fantasy prospects are cooked.
What Are Cook’s Fantasy Prospects For 2023?
Cook started to come on strong towards the end of 2022. The University of Georgia product only had four games with double-digit carries, but three came in his final seven games of the season. In those last seven weeks, Cook finished as a top-30 RB four times and in the top 10 once.
If you consider what Devin Singletary did as the Bills’ starting running back, the opportunity is there for Cook to be a low-end RB2. Singletary finished as an RB2 in four weeks and as an RB1 in another four weeks throughout the season, and he finished as the RB22 for the whole season.
Cook averaged more yards per attempt than Singletary but slightly fewer yards before contact. Cook is being drafted as the RB27 in National Fantasy Championship drafts taking place now. He finished as the RB44 last season, so an upgrade in his usage is already being assessed in his value
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