While the Buffalo Bills are regrouping for the 2026 season, one area that will still be a strength is their ground game. Even with a new head coach and a new offensive coordinator, the same running back room will be heading the position group.
Despite other positions struggling, the running back corps carried its weight and will remain strong next season. Let's take a look at how they will stack up in 2026.
How the running back position will continue to grow in 2026
1. James Cook
Cook returns to One Bills Drive as the reigning rushing champion and is looking to add a Super Bowl ring at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, in 2026. The skilled back ran for 1,621 yards, which led the NFL.
He also had 309 carries, which was a career-high, vaulting himself into one of the league's best running backs with his performance.
The 26-year-old has also cemented himself a long-term extension through 2029. With the Bills being the best in the league, averaging almost 160 yards on the field, he has many years left to show off his talents.
He's not doing it alone; however, the two backs behind him are just as capable of helping the team sustain drives and take time off the clock.
2. Ty Johnson
Johnson remained a consistent third-down option due to his blocking in the passing game. He rushed for 200 yards on 50 carries with one rushing touchdown. On top of that, he caught the ball well too, snagging 24 balls for 263 yards and two touchdowns.
The 28-year-old is entering the final year of his two-year deal, which he signed this past offseason. The Bills would love to keep him despite paying Cook all the money and giving him all the carries.
3. Ray Davis
The second-year running back from Kentucky was used less in the backfield than during his rookie season. He still ran for 275 yards on 58 carries with one rushing touchdown. He also had 10 receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
But where Davis shone this year was in the kick-returning department, where he led the league with 943 return yards and 1,304 all-purpose yards. As a result, the 26-year-old was named a first-team All-Pro kick returner.
Davis is under contract until 2027, and this year, he will look to regain the position as the Bills' second-string back from Johnson, who held it in his rookie year.
Draft position
It looks like the Bills will not need to draft another running back this season, barring something crazy happening with injuries. Cook will return as the primary back, looking for his second straight rushing title, but a Super Bowl title nonetheless.
Both Johnson and Davis will compete for the number two running back spot behind Cook, and whoever gets it will get it; the other, if Davis, will return to kick return and look to build on his All-Pro 2025 campaign.
Right now, the Bills' backfield is very desirable, and they don't need to add another running back to the squad.