James Cook
vs Nico Collins

“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.”

“Jason: Dalton Schultz @ IND Doctor Schultz should be plugged right back into your lineup if Nico Collins misses another game due to a hamstring injury. He posted 12 catches for 140 yards last week against the Bengals, and should continue TE1 production as one of CJ Stroud ’s primary targets. Fantasy Forecast Mark Konezny-Imagn Images LAC @ BUF (BUF-7, O/U 50.5) Andy was tempted to make the Chargers his almost-upset of the week, but the Bills and Chargers have looked too opposite of each other to start the season.”

“Schultz is a must-start as long as Collins remains sidelined. That’s especially true this week against an Indianapolis defense that’s given up over 1,000 yards in two games and just got shredded by Travis Kelce . Beyond that, he appears to be headed for another top-10 fantasy season, something he’s accomplished in five of the last six seasons.”

“Nico Collins is Houston’s unquestioned No. 1 WR — he had the highest true target share, highest route participation and a touchdown on the same drive as his own erased deep shot. Collins commanded a true 12 targets (up from an already team-high 10 official targets) and a 28.6% adjusted target share.”

“Nico Collins – 10 targets, 7 rec Collins is the unquestioned alpha WR in Houston. He set a new career-high with 120 targets last season, and he has yet to play a full 17-game season. If he can stay healthy, he will likely be a target leader all season long.”

“Nico Collins finished eighth amongst all wide receiver options in PPR leagues last season. Collins crossed the goal line on six occasions and hauled in over 70 passes for 1,117 yards.”

“Playing in 15 games last season, Nico Collins had a 21.7% target share, catching 71 passes on 120 targets for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. This season, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel have another season under their belt. The Texans’ running game should be better with David Montgomery .”

“Nico Collins is a bona fide stud, and we are hopeful that Jayden Higgins will emerge as a startable fantasy asset this year.”

“A healthy Nico Collins will also be a huge factor, as the connection between those two has consistently elevated Stroud's efficiency and touchdown production since coming into the league.”

“Nico Collins was discussed as a receiver whose combination of physical traits and offensive role keeps him firmly in the upper fantasy conversation. The analysis focused heavily on his ability to command targets while also producing explosive plays. There was a sense throughout the discussion that Collins has moved beyond simply being a breakout candidate and now belongs in the tier of receivers fantasy managers can trust weekly.”