Fantasy JoesBuild your rankings

James Cook vs Josh Allen

2026 draft comparison · half-PPR

Updated Aug 19, 2026

ADP 8.9
James Cook
RB · BUF · RB5
ADP 22.9
Josh Allen
QB · BUF · QB1
VS
The crowd's leanAll time
54.9% would rather draft Allen over Cook
45.1%Cook
54.9%Allen
Based on 122 comparison results

Should you draft James Cook or Josh Allen?

Last season — 2025, per game

CookRB6 finish
2025
AllenQB1 finish
16.8Fantasy pts22.0
17Games17
0Pass yds216
0.0Pass TD1.5
0.0INT0.6
18.2Carries6.6
95Rush yds34
5.2Yds/carry5.2
2.4Targets0.0
1.9Rec0.0
17Rec yds0
0.8TD0.8
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
Earlier seasons (2024)
2024 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKATTYDTDTGTRECRYDRTD
1
ARI
11.8
RB24
19
71
0
3
3
32
0
2
MIA
28.0
RB2
11
78
2
1
1
17
1
3
JAX
16.7
RB11
11
39
1
5
4
48
0
4
BAL
5.3
RB45
9
39
0
1
1
9
0
5
HOU
16.9
RB6
20
82
1
3
2
17
0
6
7
TEN
9.2
RB27
12
32
1
0
0
0
0
8
SEA
26.8
RB1
17
111
2
3
3
22
0
9
MIA
9.4
RB30
10
44
0
6
5
25
0
10
IND
15.0
RB9
19
80
1
3
1
5
0
11
KC
17.2
RB9
9
20
2
6
5
7
0
12
13
SF
18.5
RB8
14
107
1
1
1
13
0
14
LAR
3.9
RB38
6
20
0
2
2
9
0
15
DET
25.8
RB3
14
105
2
1
1
28
0
16
NE
26.1
RB5
11
100
1
3
3
26
1
17
NYJ
11.3
RB13
15
53
1
0
0
0
0
18
NE
8.8
RB28
10
28
1
0
0
0
0
Josh Allen
2025 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKATTCMPYDTDINTRuYDRuTD
1
BAL
38.8
QB1
46
33
394
2
0
30
2
2
NYJ
11.8
QB25
25
14
148
0
0
59
0
3
MIA
23.0
QB5
28
22
213
3
0
25
0
4
NO
25.9
QB7
22
16
209
2
1
45
1
5
NE
20.4
QB12
31
22
253
2
1
53
0
6
ATL
17.4
QB17
26
15
180
2
2
42
0
7
8
CAR
23.2
QB9
19
12
163
1
0
7
2
9
KC
28.8
QB3
26
23
273
1
0
19
2
10
MIA
20.3
QB8
40
28
306
2
1
31
0
11
TB
44.7
QB1
30
19
317
3
2
40
3
12
HOU
10.1
QB22
34
24
253
0
2
20
0
13
PIT
17.7
QB13
23
15
123
1
1
38
1
14
CIN
37.8
QB1
28
22
251
3
0
78
1
15
NE
24.5
QB6
28
19
193
3
0
48
0
16
CLE
6.9
QB27
19
12
130
0
0
17
0
17
PHI
23.2
QB6
35
23
262
0
0
27
2
18
NYJ
0.0
QB42
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Earlier seasons (2024)
2024 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKATTCMPYDTDINTRuYDRuTD
1
ARI
31.2
QB1
23
18
232
2
0
39
2
2
MIA
9.8
QB28
19
13
139
1
0
2
0
3
JAX
30.9
QB1
30
23
263
4
0
44
0
4
BAL
7.3
QB28
29
16
180
0
0
21
0
5
HOU
14.6
QB19
30
9
131
1
0
54
0
6
NYJ
24.4
QB5
25
19
215
2
0
18
1
7
TEN
21.0
QB6
33
21
323
2
0
1
0
8
SEA
20.8
QB14
34
24
283
2
1
25
0
9
MIA
23.1
QB7
39
25
235
3
1
7
0
10
IND
20.2
QB7
37
22
280
0
2
50
1
11
KC
25.0
QB7
40
27
262
1
1
55
1
12
13
SF
28.4
QB3
17
13
148
2
0
18
1
14
LAR
51.9
QB1
37
22
342
3
0
82
3
15
DET
41.3
QB1
34
23
362
2
0
68
2
16
NE
12.2
QB24
29
16
154
1
1
30
0
17
NYJ
23.0
QB12
27
16
182
2
0
17
1
18
NE
0.0
QB45
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Latest takes

James Cook
  • In this draft, I started with James Cook as my anchor running back, and then hammered wide receiver with my next three selections.

    Samwise· Aug 16
  • 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.

    Kurt Mullen· Aug 14
  • Fantasy players that want to draft a safe first-round running back should target James Cook. He doesn’t have overall RB1 upside with Josh Allen ‘s role at the goal line.

    Mike Fanelli· Aug 12
See 12 more
  • Check out all of Fitz’s top fantasy football draft picks to target >> James Cook (BUF) James Cook led the NFL in rushing yards in 2025 (1,621).

  • 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.

  • Repeat Seasons It should be more of the same for James Cook and Chase Brown , who saw little change in their offenses this offseason.

  • 31 10 21 James Cook 13 5 8 Josh Jacobs 7 15 -8 Saquon Barkley 2 13 -11 Bucky Irving 10 33 -23 In past years, so many top RBs have gotten hurt that the Zero (or hero) RB draft strategies have become popular.

  • I recently gushed about James Cook and Ray Davis as players to target at Underdog at their ADPs .

  • 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.

    Kurt Blakeway· Jul 17
  • 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.

    Colt Williams· Jul 13
  • Well, so much for all of the regression talk about James Cook last year. Cook crushed all of the haters, improving his stock as the RB6 in fantasy points per game. He led the NFL in rushing yards (1,621) while finishing third in rushing attempts and sixth in rushing touchdowns (tied).

  • 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.

    Rich Hribar· Jul 7
  • Cook got a new contract last offseason, which was well-earned on the field. He had the best season of his early career, setting career highs in rushing attempts (309), rushing yards (1,621), touches (342), and yards from scrimmage (1,912) to go along with 14 touchdowns.

    Rich Hribar· Jul 7
Josh Allen
  • Leaving a crowded receiver room in Chicago for Buffalo in the offseason, Moore becomes the de facto first read for Josh Allen on all passing plays.

  • In fact, he and Josh Allen are the only two QBs to have 300 fantasy points in each of the last two seasons.

    Ellis Johnson· Aug 19
  • Josh Allen should be the undisputed QB1, but the weekly scoring gap at the position is very narrow. Last season, the difference between Allen, the QB1, and Daniel Jones , the QB18, was only four fantasy points per game. With the position so deep, this further strengthens the case for a late-round quarterback strategy in 2026.

    Kyle Zeigler· Aug 18
See 12 more
  • While there are five quarterbacks in this tier, Allen stands clearly ahead of the rest. The superstar has finished as a top-five quarterback in six consecutive seasons despite not having a go-to No. 1 wide receiver since the Bills traded away Stefon Diggs.

    Mike Fanelli· Aug 16
  • Bills QB Josh Allen is an amazing football player and a time-tested fantasy asset.

  • Josh Allen is microwave popcorn because when he gets hot, he absolutely pops off. One explosive play turns into another, the TDs start piling up, and suddenly you are staring at a fantasy score that felt impossible just a few quarters ago.

    Brooke Morgan· Aug 12
  • There’s no doubt that quarterbacks like Allen, Jackson, Drake Maye, and more should score more, but drafting any in the first few rounds is a bad idea.

  • Most notably, he oversaw the development of Josh Allen as Offensive Coordinator in Buffalo from 2018 through 2021.

    Kyle Lesti· Aug 11
  • The Sharp Football Analysis projections are aggressive in factoring in increased passing from Allen and are well above the Vegas passing yards total. ESPN’s publicly available projections have a moderate increase in passing attempts and yardage from last year and are still more than 300 yards over the passing total.

    Curtis Hirsch· Aug 10
  • Since the start of 2022, Allen is second in EPA per play and has finished among the top four quarterbacks in EPA per play in every single year.

    Curtis Hirsch· Aug 10
  • Josh Allen , Patrick Mahomes , Brock Purdy , Dak Prescott , and Jared Goff were the only quarterbacks selected as top-12 players who were also top 12 in points per game.

    Rich Hribar· Aug 5
  • Josh Allen 2026 Over/Under Predictions The Buffalo offense played at the league's slowest pace and ran the ball at the second-highest rate last season, which seems very counterintuitive for a team with Josh Allen at quarterback.

  • Josh Allen is once again the consensus QB1 in fantasy. He finished QB1 in fantasy scoring last season for the fourth time in the last six years. After down years from Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts , the gap between Allen and other fantasy QBs seems to have widened.

  • There is hope that a healthy Kincaid can live up to the hype that he has carried since entering the league as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft and be an elite TE option in an offense with Josh Allen .

    Kurt Mullen· Jul 29
  • With the first pick in the draft, Mike takes what feels like an obvious choice of Josh Allen, who has finished as the QB1 overall in four of the last six seasons.

    Kurt Mullen· Jul 29