Should I Pickup James Cook For Week 12 Fantasy Football? Waiver Wire Outlook

Buffalo Bills rookie running back James Cook was a hot name as a sleeper during draft season, given his second-round pedigree and his landing spot on a very good Buffalo Bills offense. 

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The Georgia product failed to garner much of a workload early on, touching the ball just 24 times in Weeks 1-6. At the trade deadline, Buffalo traded for RB Nyheim Hines which further solidified a distrust in Cook.

Cook has been dropped around most leagues, being rostered 17% in Yahoo Leagues and 20% in ESPN leagues.

What Did James Cook Do In Week 11?

Cook burst onto the scene in the Week 11 victory over the Cleveland Browns, rushing 11 times for 86 yards. He was more efficient than his backfield counterpart Devin Singletary, who gained 86 yards on 18 rush attempts but also scored a touchdown.

The game never got completely out of hand although the Bills led for a majority of the time, leading to a heavy rushing game script. Cook’s 11 touches showed that he has begun to earn the trust of coaches and we may see more of a split going forward in a backfield that has been dominated by Singletary this season.

Are There Any Concerns With James Cook?

Cook still has Singletary and Hines competing for touches in a backfield of a team that likes to pass the ball, not to mention that quarterback Josh Allen leads the team in rush yards. A path to consistent performances would require a Devin Singletary injury.

Cook may have more of a role going forward, but it is still tough to insert him into starting lineups.

Should I Pickup and Start James Cook in Fantasy Football?

Cook was third in rushing yards over expected in Week 11, showing off his efficiency for a team that has been looking for a consistent running back for years.

While he had a strong Week 11 performance, it still only netted 8.6 fantasy points due to a lack of receptions or touchdowns. The Week 12 matchup is enticing against the Detroit Lions in a Thanksgiving Day game and could very well be a breakout game, but the risk is too high to insert Cook into the lineup this week.

James Cook should be added in all formats, but do not be expecting consistent performances from him without an injury to Devin Singletary.

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