Using recent history to determine what Bills should expect from James Cook in 2026

TL;DR

James Cook, the reigning rushing champion for the Buffalo Bills, enters the 2026 season after a record-setting 2025. With no changes in the Bills' running back room, projections for Cook's performance are being analyzed based on historical data from similar players.

Key points

James Cook is the reigning rushing champion for the Buffalo Bills.
He had 309 carries and over 1,600 rushing yards in 2025.
The Bills' running back group remains unchanged for the upcoming season.
Cook's performance in 2025 was the most by a Bills runner since 2003.
Projections for Cook's 2026 season are based on comparisons to similar players.

James CookBuffalo BillsDalvin CookDerrick Henry

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 28: James Cook #4 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates a touchdown during the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Highmark Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is the NFL’s reigning rushing champ, and we’ve hardly spent any time this offseason on his future in Joe Brady’s offense as one of the league’s most efficient ground-game workhorses. Frankly, there’s essentially been no conversation on Buffalo’s running back room over the past few months, and it’s the team’s only completely unchanged position group from a season ago — no adds, no subtractions (if we’re not counting fullback Reggie Gilliam’s departure eastward). In 2025, as the Bills passing offense needed to exert considerable effort to even approach productivity of previous seasons in the Josh Allen era, Buffalo was fortunate to have Cook to lean on throughout his spectacular year that ended with the rushing-yard crown. His 309 carries were the most by a Bills runner since Travis Henry in 2003 and the ninth-most in a single season in team history. Cook’s 95.4 rushing yards per game from 2025 stand alone in fourth place for the Bills all-time. But what is done is done, and it’s time we project forward for Buffalo’s superstar back. We’re going to actively spin it forward here at Buffalo Rumblings. Often. **How effective should we expect Cook to be in 2026, after over 300 carries with more than 1,600 yards and 12 rushing scores last regular season?** To establish a baseline, I compiled running back seasons since 2020 factoring in age, career workload, and productivity that were the most similar to Cook as he stands right now, entering his Age 27 season following his 2025 that led to a second-team All-Pro distinction. These were the five best overall “matches” for Cook when considering all those factors.

Q&A

What were James Cook's stats in the 2025 NFL season?

In the 2025 season, James Cook had 309 carries, over 1,600 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns.

Who are the running backs compared to James Cook for 2026 projections?

The running backs compared to James Cook for 2026 projections include Dalvin Cook, Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara, Josh Jacobs, and Christian McCaffrey.

What is the career-carry cliff for NFL running backs?

The career-carry cliff for elite NFL running backs is typically between 1,500 and 1,800 attempts.

How did James Cook's 2025 performance compare to other running backs?

James Cook's 2025 performance was notable, ranking fourth in Bills history for rushing yards per game and being the most carries by a Bills runner since 2003.