Since Joe Brady took over the offense for the Buffalo Bills back in 2023, the rushing attack for the Bills didn’t just become established but it became one of the best in the NFL. In the early Josh Allen years, Buffalo’s running game was very dependent on Allen to use his legs to keep drives alive.
When the Bills drafted James Cook in 2022, little did we know at the time that Buffalo had just drafted their eventual next franchise running back. Since coming into the league, Cook has done nothing but improve his performance every season. He led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2024 (16) and then led the league in rushing in 2026 (1,621 yards), and he takes a ton of pressure off of the offense.
Cook has proven himself to be a Top 5 back in the NFL, and he has the case as to why he is the best back in the league ahead of other top players.
Behind him in the running back room is Ray Davis and Ty Johnson, both whom split time as the true backup but Davis has been more of a special teams contributor which helped him earn First-Team All-Pro honors as a kick returner.
Davis dropped in production last season as a running back, but it’s simply because of Cook being so dominant and Ty Johnson getting more carries when it comes to crucial situations. However, Davis is the true back up running back for the offense.
James Cook-Ray Davis duo gets slight disrespect heading into 2026
Moe Moton from Bleacher Report created a power rankings list of the league’s best running back duos heading into the 2026 season, and all that the Bills got with Cook and Davis is an honorable mention. They were placed in the same category as the Ravens (Derrick Henry and Justice Hill) and the 49ers (Christian McCaffrey and Jordan James).
"The Buffalo Bills duo earns an honorable mention because of James Cook's 2025 rushing title. He led the league with 1,621 yards in his third consecutive Pro Bowl campaign. Compared to his rookie season, Ray Davis saw a decline in his playing time on offense and an increase in his special teams snaps and earned an All-Pro nod as a kick returner. Special teams accolade aside, he's shown intriguing upside in a backup running back role, racking up 631 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns in 2024." said Moton.
I know that the overall ranking is about the duo all around, but Davis is a quality backup who has excelled in the third phase of the game. Let’s not forget either, Davis took advantage of his Week 18 opportunity against the New York Jets where he rushed for 151 yards and had a receiving touchdown as well.
Not to mention, there were six duos that were placed higher that Cook and Davis that haven’t played on the same team. Putting running back duos who haven’t played together ahead of the continuity that some duos have is very interesting.
Add us as a preferred source on Google