During his rookie campaign, Buffalo Bills running back James Cook did not get many chances to showcase his skills. For the most part, Cook was stuck behind Devin Singletary and was limited to 110 total touches. Despite the limited usage, Cook had some bright spots that show promise for the future. Cook finished last year with 97 fantasy points (Half PPR) and 3 total touchdowns. He is now in line to be the lead back in one of the league’s most prolific offenses. Let’s take a more detailed look at what to do if you’re a James Cook dynasty manager or looking to acquire him.

2022

When the Buffalo Bills drafted James Cook from Georgia there was hope that he could carve out a big role. The Bills had Devin Singletary but he wasn’t exactly a league winner. Unfortunately, it took Cook a while to adjust to the NFL and it showed in his debut. He fumbled the ball on his first ever NFL carry which was less than ideal. It wasn’t the start Cook was looking for but he responded in week 2 when rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries. He showed some of his elusiveness and breakaway speed on a 33-yard run late in the 4th quarter. It was the type of run that we hoped he build momentum on but that didn’t happen.

In the next 7 games, Cook didn’t make much noise. He all but disappeared from the Bills offensive gameplan until week 11 vs the Cleveland Browns. Cook once again showed that if you give him touches he will produce. Against Cleveland, Cook had 86 yards rushing and averaged 7.8 yards per carry. His best game of the season came in a blowout win at the Chicago Bears. Cook had a season-high 99 yards rushing and a season-high 16.8 fantasy points. If you’re looking for a game to get excited about Cook, this was the one.

2023

James Cook will now get his chance to solidify his role as the Bills starting running back. This offseason, Devin Singletary signed on with the Houston Texans clearing the way for Cook. The Bills also brought in Damien Harris and Latavius Murray but they will likely compete for the backup role. Buffalo drafted Cook for a reason and they want to give him every chance to succeed. Cook has all the intangibles to be a star running back, including elite breakaway speed.

James Cook’s Dynasty Value

What is the current value of James Cook dynasty shares right now? Currently, his value is staying pretty steady on KeepTradeCut and he is currently listed as RB30. This is right in line with our dynasty trade value chart where we have him listed as RB27 with a trade value of 23.53. The potential for Cook in his second year in the Buffalo offense is too big to ignore. My advice at this time is to HOLD on Cook and watch how develops as the starting running back for the Bills.

The post James Cook Dynasty Outlook Right Now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

After missing all of his rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury, Travis Etienne was poised to break out in his second year. The former Clemson Tiger had a familiar face at quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson was now running the offense. When the dust settled, Travis Etienne finished the fantasy year as RB17 (Half PPR) and totaled 187.6 FP. It wasn’t a down year by any means yet we all expected more from Etienne. Before we look ahead at Etienne’s fantasy outlook let’s first recap his 2022-2023 season.

2022

Travis Etienne started his 2022 campaign slowly. It wasn’t that big of a surprise since the RB was coming back from a pretty serious injury. He finished with single-digit fantasy points during his first 4 games. Etienne started to pick up momentum during the week 5 matchup against the Houston Texans. Etienne finished the day with 71 yards on the ground and an additional 43 yards receiving. After this game he started a streak of 4 straight double-digit fantasy point games including 3 top 10 finishes. This was the type of production fantasy owners were banking on.

After the bye week Etienne’s production slowed once again and this is the type of inconsistency that we don’t want to see in a top-tier running back. Thankfully Travis Etienne woke up again in his second matchup with the Texans. He used his vision to hit the hole, break the tackle and burst to the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown.

2023

As we start to project Travis Etienne’s value in 2023 and beyond it’s important to look at some key statistics. One of those is red zone stats among running backs. Etienne finished 30th in this metric behind the likes of Samaje Perine and Devin Singletary. The chances were there for Etienne as he had 59.4% of attempts in the red zone, he just couldn’t convert those into more points.

The Jacksonville Jaguars also drafted Tank Bigsby in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft. One could envision that the Jaguars are going to use him in the red zone given the stats I pointed out above. If that happens, Etienne’s value will take a hit.

Travis Etienne’s Fantasy Outlook

Travis Etienne is certainly a hot topic going into the upcoming season. He could be a league winner or he could end up costing you a chance at the playoffs. There seems to be no middle ground here. Currently, I have him slated at #21 overall in my 2023 top 100 fantasy rankings and I may drop him down some more. The inconsistency has me more worried about his overall value going forward.

Let’s take a quick look at where Etienne stands today in terms of ADP and FantasyPros ECR.

As you can see his ADP has stayed steady at 25 but his ECR is starting to drop. This goes to show that others are also second guessing his value going forward. I wouldn’t be surprised if his ECR continues to drop into the 20 range. As we move into training camp and the NFL preseason I will be keeping an eye on how Tank Bigsby is utilized. It will certainly have an impact on Etienne’s overall value. At this point, I have Travis Etienne on the tier 3 range of running backs for the 2023-2024 season.

The post Travis Etienne Fantasy Outlook Right Now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Buffalo Bills may have a Thanos-like quarterback in Josh Allen (37 passing touchdowns in 2020 and 36 passing TDs in 2021), but they still possess a lethal rushing attack with their dual-threat QB and the electric RB Devin Singletary – as Buffalo ranked sixth in rushing yards last season. The RB that learned under Frank Gore ousted 4.6 YPC, 870 rushing yards, and 7 rushing touchdowns in 2021. Singletary also garnered a 64.8 grade by PFF for his 2021 performance. He will aspire to have his best season in 2022 — which is also his contract season.

Singletary will be accompanied by James Cook, also known as the brother Dalvin Cook. Cook ousted 1,012 total yards and 11 total touchdowns in 2020. Bills Wire nicely noted how Cook was the Bills highest drafted RB since 2010. CBS Sports has dubbed Cook as a Top-5 rookie RB and PFF listed Cook as a fantasy sleeper in 2022. He’s also a major dynasty sleeper given Singletary’s contract situation.

After the top two Bills RBs, the Bills also have Zack Moss and Duke Johnson. Moss registered 576 total yds and 5 combined touchdowns in 2020, then unveiled 542 all-purpose yds and 5 combined TDs in 2021. He wasn’t the most efficient ball-carrier for the Bills last season – as he averaged 3.6 YPC and had a 67.3 grade by PFF. Hence, the Bills opted to swing big for Cook in the 2022 draft. The Bills will also anticipate production from Duke Johnson. He’s an excellent pure RB4 (as he ousted 330 rushing yds and averaged 4.6 YPC last season), but he could be a somewhat popular receiving back for Allen. He has five seasons of 40+ receptions in his career. Johnson had a 72.1 grade by PFF last season.

The post Buffalo Bills running back outlook right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Buffalo Bills lost in gut-wrenching fashion against the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL divisional round. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes went blow for blow with each other, but the non-underdog, Ivan Drago-like figure Patrick Mahomes captured victory in overtime. The Bills yielded the NFL’s top defense and Allen, who threw four touchdowns and 328 passing yards in the contest, yet they couldn’t muster out a victory against the Kansas City Chiefs to advance in the playoff gauntlet.

An NFL fan could ask the following: what could the Bills Mafia possibly have done differently to beat the Chiefs and push for Super Bowl glory? Well, there still is room for improvement for the Bills offense and team. The Bills certainly could jolt their RB position and this would really open up the Bills offense with Allen, Stefon Diggs, and Dawson Knox.

The Bills had a surprise performance from Devin Singletary in 2021, who ousted 870 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, and averaged 4.6 YPC. Still, the Bills could benefit from more juice in the backfield. The Bills will likely add a talented RB that won’t bring more fuel to the RB room, but also push Singletary for the starting gig. So, who could they target this offseason? Here are many profiles that would fit in well in Buffalo.

Cordarrelle Patterson – Atlanta Falcons

I don’t believe there is a playoff contender that needs the swiss army knife, Cordarrelle Patterson, more than the Buffalo Bills. Patterson was an absolute menace and eye-opener for the Atlanta Falcons in 2021. Patterson had a career-high 1,166 total yards and personal best 11 total touchdowns for the Falcons offense. Patterson proved to be quite the late bloomer at 31 years of age last regular season. The Bills could desperately use Patterson at RB and WR, as Emmanuel Sanders is considering retirement. Cole Beasley is also a potential cap casualty and he could be out the door in 2022.

Patterson doesn’t only offer big play ability from the RB and WR spot, but he has also made three Pro Bowls as a return man. He is truly the ultimate x-factor for the very motivated AFC squad. If the Bills want to get a value pickup, who can play many positions, they should key in on Patterson. The former Viking did state that he would like to return to Minnesota, but the Bills could prioritize him and convince him to go up north east.

J.D. McKissic – Washington Commanders

The pass-catching machine from the RB position J.D. McKissic would be a fine complement to Devin Singletary. Prior to coming to Washington, McKissic had a career-high 453 total yards in a season. In 2020, the Washington skat back unveiled 954 total yards in 16 games. McKissic showed his production wasn’t a fluke, as he knocked out 609 total yards in 11 games last regular season.

McKissic could look to oust a career season on a one-year deal in Buffalo. The Bills need a pass-catching RB and the 28-year-old RB could fit in well, to say the least.

The Commanders running backs coach, Randy Jordan, nicely explained the magic of McKissic to the Washington Post. He stated, “To me, he’s probably one of the best pass-catching running backs, or I would just say football players, off of the catch and transitioning”. McKissic is one of the most under-the-radar all-purpose players in free agency and the Bills should look to ink McKissic if Patterson returns to Atlanta or Minnesota.

James Conner – Arizona Cardinals

If the Bills want to add a quality pure running back and play smash-mouth football with their running game, they should look to add James Conner to the RB group. The former Steelers RB opted to take a one-year prove-it deal with the Arizona Cardinals and it’s safe to say his decision served him well. Conner was a hammer with the Cardinals in 2021 and that was evident with his 15 rushing touchdowns and 752 rushing yards. Conner had 18 total touchdowns which is a very impressive touchdown tally from the RB position.

Conner did state that he would love to return to the Cardinals and I do expect a reunion to occur, but he would be an intriguing partner to Singeltary if he’s available. Singletary and Conner could be thunder and lightning.

Conner also has a few years left of quality play at least in this stage in his career (26 years old). Conner could really grow with the other key Bills offensive members and push for a Super Bowl appearance in the upcoming years.

Leonard Fournette – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl-winning RB Leonard Fournette would be a nice spark to the Bills offense. Josh Allen could have used “playoff Lenny” in the 2022 playoffs. Fournette unleashed 812 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns, and continued his dominance in the 2022 playoffs. The Bucs halfback had two rushing touchdowns against the LA Rams and one of the touchdowns came on a pivotal 4th down. Fournette had a career-high 4.5 YPC in 2021 and a personal best 454 receiving yards. It’s moving to see the former LSU Badger reclaim his magic after being cast out of Jacksonville on a bad note.

Fournette should test free agency and the fit with Buffalo would make a lot of sense. Fournette is the most talented downhill RB in free agency, but I expect him to get overpaid by a squad not named Buffalo. He is the most coveted free agent RB and it would be hard for him to pass down the opportunity of getting paid a hefty amount at this stage in his career. The Bucs have Ronald Jones, so they may not pay him the money he desires as a quality starting RB. They also don’t have the seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady to convince the key free agents to stay for another season.

Isaiah Spiller – Texas A & M

The Texas A & M ball-carrier was a bowling ball for the Aggies in 2021, as he unveiled 1,011 rushing yards, a career-high 5.6 YPC, and six rushing touchdowns. Spiller, who isn’t related to C.J. Spiller, could be a nice late second-round selection for the Bills. Spiller undoubtedly holds the most potential out of all RB options in the 2022 offseason.

Spiller has excellent size (6’1, 220) and he’s been consistently productive in the ultra-competitive SEC. He was second-team SEC in 2021 and first team SEC in 2020. Although, he doesn’t possess quality quickness and he isn’t a home run threat. He can certainly be a 1,000 yard RB and starting RB for the Bills in year one. The Bills could really deliver their will on opposing defenses late in playoff games with Spiller, Singletary, and Allen from the QB spot.

Trade for Christian McCaffrey

If the Bills want to make a splash move this offseason, while filling a position need, they could look to strike big with a trade for Christian McCaffrey. CMAC is coming off two disappointing seasons and he’s in a rebuilding situation. The Panthers are a couple of seasons at least away from being a playoff contender. It would make a ton of sense if the Panthers opted to move on from the household name and receive draft capita in the process.

CMAC should have a couple of elite seasons left if he can stay healthy. The former Stanford RB may not bounce back and win MVP as Adrian Peterson did, but he should return to Pro Bowl form. If the Bills brought in McCaffrey to join Allen and Diggs, there is no reason that the Bills aren’t seen as Super Bowl favorites. The Los Angeles Rams made a few big moves to push for Super Bowl glory with the acquisitions of Odell Beckham Jr, Sony Michel, and Von Miller. They are now in the driver’s seat to win Super Bowl LVI. The Bills could look to make a similar leap in 2022 by bringing in a couple of shiny profiles.

Trade for Alvin Kamara

The New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl RB Alvin Kamara will likely face a six-game suspension in 2022. It’s a grim outlook for Kamara and the Saints, who have a new head coach and a question mark at QB. I’d be surprised if the Saints traded AK, but the new leader Dennis Allen could look to make an example of the big-name RB by sending him out of the Big Easy.

The Bills could send their late first-round pick for Kamara and the Saints may like the thought of the extra first-round pick. If the Saints want a QB in round one, they could select a QB with the extra first-round pick, or use both first-rounders to trade up for the right QB. The Bills may prefer to have Kamara in place of selecting a RB like Spiller in round one. The Saints could have their future QB in the 2022 draft and they could still have Michael Thomas in their offense to impose their will on defenses.

The post Buffalo Bills: running backs to target this offseason appeared first on Pro Football Mania.