James Cook
vs De'Von Achane

“While the outcome was mild against a Houston defense we still buy as one of the best defensive fronts, Cook got the usage we wanted to see. He played 69.2% of the snaps (RB11) and saw 88.9% of the backfield touches (RB4). The one element that left more to be desired was the passing-game usage that was talked up this preseason.”

“James Cook (RB – BUF) In 2024, James Cook dominated, scoring 16 touchdowns and rushing for 1,009 yards. That production seemed unsustainable. In 2025, he recorded 1,621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, and gave us even more reason to be confident.”

“While Cook does not have the pass-catching profile that usually benefits from a full PPR format, he has been one of the absolute best assets to have on a fantasy roster over the past few seasons, finishing as a top-12 RB each of the last three years. There is hope that Cook may become more involved in the passing game for the Bills, which would only give his fantasy ceiling a boost.”

“James Cook (RB – BUF) has already shown flashes of every skill needed to be the overall RB1: a big receiving season, an 18-touchdown season, and a 1,600-yard rushing season, just never all in the same year.”

“James Cook was picked as the best value on the board at 11th overall, priced almost entirely off last year’s production rather than his upside. The case for a top-three running back season rests on four pillars, and Cook checks every one.”

“James Cook was a no-brainer pick, and it came down to Derrick Henry and Ashton Jeanty for the RB2 slot.”

“The Bills put their money where their mouth is by giving James Cook a ton of money, then followed that up with a bunch of touches (349, to be exact), and brought the rushing title back to Buffalo. James Cook led the NFL in 2025 with 11 games of 80+ rushing yards.”

“James Cook is expected to be more involved in the passing game under new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, whose running backs have been heavily involved in the passing attack throughout his coaching history. Cook had a career-high 309 rush attempts in the regular season en route to the NFL rushing title last season, and shifting some of his carries into targets could be a wise move given his excellent receiving skills demonstrated at the NFL level.”

“Unlike Saquon Barkley, who also plays with a quarterback used heavily near the end zone, the Bills do mix in Cook near the end zone, instead of strictly relying on Josh Allen moving the pile. Cook had 14 rushing attempts inside the 5-yard line in 2025 (tied for 8th in the NFL) with 6 touchdowns on those runs.”

“The sportsbooks have Achane ranked as a low-end RB1 on the week. Parker Washington | WR, Jacksonville Jaguars Sportsbook Rank: WR11 Expert Consensus Rank: WR22 Even the biggest Parker Washington bull couldn’t dream up a better start to the season. Washington ranks third in yards per route run (4.52), second in targets per route run (45%), second in target share (35%), eighth in receiving yards (181), and tenth in fantasy points (18.1 PPG).”

“I’m expecting the Dolphins to get down big in this one, so unless Achane catches a bunch of dump-offs, he’s probably in for another tough fantasy day.” – Wolf Trelles-Heard ( FantasyPros )”

“De’Von Achane’s role has been unimpeachable. He ranks second among running backs in snap share (83%), first in route rate (74%), second in target share (22%) and fifth in rush share (76%). But a team-wide lack of volume has left him ranked just 15th in expected half-PPR points.”

“Malik Willis and De'Von Achane can scoot. Among 74 running backs with at least 150 rush attempts since 2023, Achane is first in yards per carry (5.62) and first in explosive run rate (16.6%).”

“While McDaniel was head coach in Miami, De’Von Achane averaged 5.6 yards per carry, scored 35 touchdowns in 44 games, and had seasons with 78 and 67 catches. Achane and Hampton have wildly different body types – Achane weighs less than 200 pounds; Hampton is a 220-pound brute – but it’s hard to look at the ways McDaniels used Achane without getting excited about what’s in store for Hampton.”

“De’Von Achane (MIA) Achane was one of five running backs to average over 20 PPR fantasy points per game last year (20.2).”

“De’Von Achane (RB – MIA) Last year, De’Von Achane had more than 450 rushing yards, more than his previous best, and surpassed 1000 yards for the first time in his career while hitting 80 targets for the second consecutive year.”

“But Achane will be sailing into some fierce headwinds this year. The Dolphins’ Vegas win total for 2026 was 4.5 as of this writing – and it was juiced toward the under. Miami’s offensive line is expected to be among the worst in the league.”

“There’s no denying that Achane is an abundantly talented player and a fun watch. He’s averaged 5.6 yards per carry for his career, he’s scored double-digit touchdowns in each of his first three NFL seasons, and he’s had 145 catches over the last two years. Achane finished RB5 in half-point PPR scoring last year.”

“Achane has had a major downgrade in team context. For one, Mike McDaniel is no longer calling plays.”

“For those who are worried about De'Von Achane and the Miami offense struggling so much that he will not be productive, maybe just look back at 2025, when the Dolphins struggled… and he wasn't one of the most consistent RBs in fantasy; he was THE most consistent RB in fantasy. Achane can get it done on the ground and in the air, so regardless of game script, he is a blessing for most fantasy teams.”