In the world of the NFL, there are always going to be some bold takes that catch fans by surprise. It happens every year, and Buffalo Bills fans are certainly no strangers to it. Unfortunately, they have seen all of the disrespect in many different forms, whether it’s on or off the field.
Even for as great as Josh Allen is, he still gets disrespected from time to time whether it’s because of what someone said, ranked them on a QB rankings list, etc. If Allen can get disrespected, that means anyone on the Bills definitely can.
One player that has faced a good amount of slight disrespect is running back James Cook, who has led the league in rushing touchdowns (16 in 2024) and in rushing yards (1,621 yards in 2025), Cook is still viewed outside the Top 3 in terms of running backs throughout the league.
James Cook's placement on recent RB list adds motivation for another breakout year
Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick from Pro Football Focus (PFF) put together a running back rankings list ahead of the 2026 season and Cook finds himself at No. 6 behind De’Von Achane, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson.
"Cook was the NFL’s rushing leader in 2025, pacing the league with 1,621 yards. It was his third straight season topping 1,000 yards, which is one fewer than what his older brother, Dalvin, had in his career." said Wasserman and Chadwick.
"Cook’s 39 explosive runs placed second in the league last season, while his 62 forced missed tackles tied for third." Wasserman and Chadwick added.
I’m not saying that Cook is the best running back in the league ahead of someone like Robinson or Gibbs. However, to say that Cook is still behind someone like Henry, McCaffrey or even Achane is a bit of a bold take. When you lead the league in two big time categories for running backs in two consecutive seasons, how are you not ranked as one of the very best at the top? It’s really strange…
Let’s not forget either that Cook averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season, and he wasn’t even a true third-down back. Seeing Cook being ranked where he is on this list is slightly disrespectful because he has been a Top 3 back in football. He’s done nothing but improve each season, but it seems like he will need to show it again in 2026 why he deserves to be at or very close to the top at the position.
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