James Cook vs Omarion Hampton

“Running back James Cook won the rushing title with 1,621 yards, but in PFF's view, Torrence didn't help his cause.”

“The Bills featured James Cook as a bell cow, leaving Davis little opportunity to provide fantasy relevance.”

“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.”

“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.”

“James Cook was faded at ADP 39 with a 20% win rate and 71% top 6% finish, and the verdict was Wrong.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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?”

“If you spent $70 on running back but somehow came away with James Cook and De'Von Achane (which is a bit under our current dollar value calculator), that could be just fine.”

“With Josh Allen still leading one of the NFL's highest-scoring offenses and the offensive line remaining strong, Cook's floor remains extremely high. The hosts also discussed the possibility that Buffalo could finally unlock more of Cook's receiving upside under new leadership, especially given his pass-catching pedigree coming out of Georgia.”

“Despite back-to-back productive seasons, James Cook continues to be viewed skeptically in fantasy circles, but the FantasyPros analysts argued that Cook keeps answering every concern fantasy managers throw at him. After many predicted touchdown regression entering last season, Cook still delivered elite production while expanding his rushing workload.”

“He has improved every season of his career, totaling at least 1,000 rushing yards in three consecutive years, including an NFL and career-high 1,621 in 2025. More importantly, Cook is one of six running backs to average 16 or more PPR fantasy points per game in each of the past two seasons.”

“Omarion Hampton was the RB13 on a points-per-game basis.”

“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.”

“The addition of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator was viewed as another major boost, particularly because of McDaniel's history of heavily involving running backs in the passing game. Hampton's target upside and expanded workload projection led the analysts to view him as a player worth drafting aggressively near the end of Round 1.”

“The hosts praised Hampton's rookie-year flashes despite difficult circumstances that included offensive line injuries and inconsistent quarterback health. They highlighted his three-down skill set, pass-catching ability, and efficiency metrics as signs of a major second-year breakout.”

“Fitzmaurice highlighted Hampton's upside in a run-heavy offense built around strong offensive line play. The belief is that Hampton could emerge as a true centerpiece back if the Chargers fully commit to him in Year 2.”

“The second year running back will likely dominate the workload again, this time behind a healthy offensive line and with a coordinator who churns out RB1 seasons on an annual basis.”

“Hampton created the 11th-most yards per touch and finished 11th in yards after contact per attempt while handling a bell-cow role with 17.3 touches per game. His PFF rushing grade of 84.8 was the eighth-best mark in the league, and he now teams up with Mike McDaniel, who has a history of elite running back production.”

“The Chargers faced an astonishing number of injuries last season, including an Omarion Hampton ankle injury that kept him sidelined for eight weeks. When he was healthy, Hampton faced an uphill battle running behind a depleted offensive line. Still, he finished the season as the RB12 in points per game with 15.1.”

“He played four games with a 79% plus snap share, averaging 17.5 PPG. The former UNC product received bell-cow level usage, averaging 17.3 touches per game (tied for top-12 at the position). Also played four games with five or more catches (7.th in receptions per game at 3.6).”

“Omarion Hampton finished his rookie season as RB16 in PPG in 9 games played, but he suffered from a tough situation. The rookie RB dealt with his own injuries as well. But Hampton flashed enough upside to be worth buying into as a fantasy RB1 behind a healthy OL in 2026.”