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James Cook vs Jonathan Taylor

2026 draft comparison · half-PPR

Updated Jul 5, 2026

ADP 10
James Cook
RB · BUF · RB5
ADP 5
Jonathan Taylor
RB · IND · RB3
VS
The crowd's leanALL-TIME
74.1% would rather draft Taylor over Cook
25.9%Cook
74.1%Taylor
Based on 58 duels

Should you draft James Cook or Jonathan Taylor?

Last season — 2025, per game

CookRB6 finish
2025
TaylorRB2 finish
16.8Fantasy pts20.0
17Games17
18.2Carries19.0
95Rush yds93
5.2Yds/carry4.9
2.4Targets3.2
1.9Rec2.7
17Rec yds22
0.8TD1.2
Full game log & past seasons
James Cook
2025 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKATTYDTDTGTRECRYDRTD
1
BAL
18.7
RB4
13
44
1
5
5
58
0
2
NYJ
26.0
RB2
21
132
2
1
1
3
0
3
MIA
19.3
RB7
19
108
1
3
3
10
0
4
NO
21.0
RB10
22
117
1
4
3
18
0
5
NE
4.9
RB38
15
49
0
1
0
0
0
6
ATL
8.7
RB18
17
87
0
0
0
0
0
7
8
CAR
33.6
RB2
19
216
2
0
0
0
0
9
KC
13.0
RB13
27
114
0
1
1
11
0
10
MIA
8.2
RB31
13
53
0
5
5
24
0
11
TB
18.9
RB9
16
48
0
3
3
66
1
12
HOU
20.4
RB6
17
116
1
3
3
13
0
13
PIT
17.2
RB9
32
144
0
3
3
33
0
14
CIN
10.1
RB24
18
80
0
2
2
31
0
15
NE
30.1
RB1
22
107
2
3
2
4
1
16
CLE
25.9
RB6
16
117
2
2
1
17
0
17
PHI
8.2
RB23
20
74
0
4
1
3
0
18
NYJ
1.5
RB69
2
15
0
0
0
0
0
Jonathan Taylor
2025 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKATTYDTDTGTRECRYDRTD
1
MIA
11.3
RB22
18
71
0
3
3
27
0
2
DEN
28.5
RB1
25
165
0
2
2
50
1
3
TEN
31.3
RB1
17
102
3
4
3
16
0
4
LAR
12.1
RB22
17
76
0
5
5
20
0
5
LV
30.1
RB2
17
66
3
4
3
20
0
6
ARI
21.7
RB7
21
123
1
4
4
14
0
7
LAC
32.7
RB3
16
94
3
3
3
38
0
8
TEN
36.4
RB1
12
153
2
2
2
21
1
9
PIT
6.7
RB30
14
45
0
2
2
12
0
10
ATL
48.1
RB1
32
244
3
3
3
42
0
11
12
KC
7.6
RB26
16
58
0
3
2
8
0
13
HOU
13.6
RB19
21
85
0
5
3
36
0
14
JAX
11.4
RB20
21
74
1
0
0
0
0
15
SEA
11.6
RB21
25
87
0
4
3
14
0
16
SF
15.4
RB18
16
46
1
3
3
33
0
17
JAX
15.9
RB13
21
70
1
6
3
14
0
18
HOU
4.9
RB48
14
26
0
2
2
13
0

Latest takes

James Cook
  • With the Bills' offense under Joe Brady never finding a dominant receiver, Cook has had to stand up and lead the offense, and there's no reason to think that can't continue this season. While the passing offense will be spread around, Cook remains the safest and strongest bet outside of Josh Allen.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 30
  • In 2024, James Cook dominated, scoring 16 touchdowns and rushing for 1,009 yards. In 2025, he recorded 1,621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, and gave us even more reason to be confident.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 30
  • With the Bills' offense under Joe Brady never finding a dominant receiver, Cook has had to stand up and lead the offense, and there's no reason to think that can't continue this season. Cook remains the safest and strongest bet outside of Josh Allen.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 29
See 12 more
  • 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.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 29
  • 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. With the Bills' offense under Joe Brady never finding a dominant receiver, Cook has had to stand up and lead the offense, and there's no reason to think that can't continue this season.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 28
  • Cook is coming off a season where he set career highs in carries (309), rushing yards (1,621), yards per carry (5.3) and fantasy points per game (17.8). Cook is a little older than most realize as he heads into his age-27 season, but he doesn't have a lot of mileage on him, and he's tied to Josh Allen for the next few years in what should continue being an explosive offense.

  • Cook caught just 33 passes on 40 targets despite a career-high 1,621 rushing yards. A quick glance at Cook's career confirms that Buffalo is comfortable forcing passing targets elsewhere, as during his four seasons with the Bills, Cook surpassed 35 receptions just once.

  • In 2024, James Cook dominated, scoring 16 touchdowns and rushing for 1,009 yards. In 2025, he recorded 1,621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, and gave us even more reason to be confident. However, the counter to this would be that Josh Allen is coming off his lowest passing yardage total since 2019 (3,668), and hasn't thrown for more than 30 touchdowns in the last three seasons.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 25
  • Running back James Cook won the rushing title with 1,621 yards, but in PFF's view, Torrence didn't help his cause.

    Connor Byrne· Jun 24
  • The Bills featured James Cook as a bell cow, leaving Davis little opportunity to provide fantasy relevance.

  • 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.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 21
  • James Cook was faded at ADP 39 with a 20% win rate and 71% top 6% finish, and the verdict was Wrong.

    Chris Cash· Jun 20
  • In 2024, James Cook dominated, scoring 16 touchdowns and rushing for 1,009 yards, and in 2025 he recorded 1,621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. However, the counter to this consistency would be that Josh Allen is coming off his lowest passing yardage total since 2019 (3,668), and hasn't thrown for more than 30 touchdowns in the last three seasons.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 19
  • Cook profiled as a high-upside pass-catcher out of the backfield when he entered the league in 2022, but that upside never materialized, as he has averaged just 41 targets per season over his first four years.

    Aaron Larson· Jun 18
  • The counter to this would be that Josh Allen is coming off his lowest passing yardage total since 2019 (3,668), and hasn't thrown for more than 30 touchdowns in the last three seasons. However, the Bills seem positive their offense will take a step forward this year with the addition of DJ Moore under new head coach Joe Brady. That remains to be seen. If it does happen, and the team scores more passing touchdowns and moves the ball better, could it come at the expense of Cook's ceiling?

    Tom Strachan· Jun 17
Jonathan Taylor
  • Jonathan Taylor was absolutely dominant for the first half of last season. From Week 12 onwards, he was the RB21, with an explosive run rate of 0.7% (41st). Taylor is heading into a contract year, likely his last massive one, after turning 27 this offseason, and he'll be motivated with his quarterback returning and virtually no competition for touches.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 25
  • The entire Colts offense runs through Jonathan Taylor, with DJ Giddens and incoming seventh-round rookie Seth McGowan as his backups.

  • Taylor is heading into a contract year, likely his last massive one, after turning 27 this offseason. He'll be motivated, have his quarterback returning, who might need to lean on the run game more, and once again has virtually no competition for touches.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 21
See 12 more
  • Jonathan Taylor was absolutely dominant for the first half of last season. According to teams synced with our FantasyPros tools, the Colts back led all players in playoff advance rate at 66.8%. Simply drafting Taylor gave you a two-in-three chance of making the playoffs.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 21
  • Jonathan Taylor led the NFL in snap share last season (89%) and ranked second in opportunity share (84%). Without an injury, he isn't coming off the field.

    Jeff Krisko· Jun 21
  • Taylor is heading into a contract year, likely his last massive one, after turning 27 this offseason. He'll be motivated, have his quarterback returning, who might need to lean on the run game more, and once again has virtually no competition for touches.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 19
  • Jonathan Taylor was absolutely dominant for the first half of last season, leading all players in playoff advance rate at 66.8%. However, from Week 12 onwards, he was the RB21, with an explosive run rate of 0.7% (41st).

    Tom Strachan· Jun 19
  • Taylor is heading into a contract year, likely his last massive one, after turning 27 this offseason. He'll be motivated, have his quarterback returning, who might need to lean on the run game more, and once again has virtually no competition for touches. There's a very real world where Taylor is a top-two back this season.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 17
  • Jonathan Taylor was absolutely dominant for the first half of last season. Had Daniel Jones not gotten injured, Taylor most likely could have stayed effective throughout the whole season.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 17
  • Taylor was the fantasy RB4 in points per game, but from Week 12 onwards, he was the RB21, with an explosive run rate of 0.7% (41st) and ranking 36th in yards after contact, with just three rushing touchdowns.

    Tom Strachan· Jun 6
  • If you had a tier of running backs with Jonathan Taylor and Omarion Hampton, but you can get Hampton cheaper, you'll then need to determine whether the difference moves you more toward targeting someone like Hampton or if the cost justifies taking Taylor.

  • They noted how dramatically his fantasy production shifted depending on the health and effectiveness of the Colts' offense, and questions about Daniel Jones' health, the passing game, and Taylor's long-term durability all contributed to skepticism about drafting him as a top-three running back.

  • While Jonathan Taylor still sits near the top of fantasy RB rankings, the conversation highlighted growing concerns surrounding his current draft cost. The hosts pointed to Taylor's heavy workload and dependence on quarterback play as reasons for caution.

  • Jonathan Taylor rushing yards Under 1225.5 CZR -115 (1 unit)

    Warren Sharp· May 20
  • Taylor finished last season with massive rushing totals, but his year felt uneven due to a dramatic late-season drop-off. The FantasyPros crew pointed to quarterback instability and schedule imbalance as major factors behind the decline.

So who do you have — Cook or Taylor?

Make the call yourself. Build your own draft board free — quick A-vs-B picks, no spreadsheet — and let the season grade it.

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