Fantasy Football Managers Should See This James Cook Quote 

James Cook has simply improved every single year that he’s been in the NFL, going from 6.6 to 13.7, 16.7, and 17.8 PPG in 2025. 

However, there’s one area of Cook’s game that has not seen an uptick in production, and that’s as a pass catcher. Cook actually saw his most targets and receptions in 2023, but has yet to pass those numbers.

Most recently, Cook had 40 targets with 33 catches for 291 yards. However, we talked about Derrick Henry getting more involved in this same ESPN article, but this time it’s Benjamin Solak who gave his report from Buffalo Bills camp.

Solak wrote, “My sense was already that the Bills want to involve James Cook III more in the passing game this season, and if Johnson is at all limited going forward, that drumbeat will only get louder.”

Cook is a great running back, but he’s not necessarily the same elite runner as Henry, and his pass-catching ability is also limited. If Cook sees an increase in receptions, that would be huge for his fantasy football value.  

James Cook Fantasy Stats

Looking at what Cook did in 2025, he had 17.8 PPG in a PPR league from 1,621 rushing yards, 5.2 YPC, 12 touchdowns, 33 catches, and 291 yards (two receiving touchdowns). 

Cook likely won’t ever be one of the best pass catchers in the NFL, but it’s not too much of a stretch for him to get to 50 catches or at least the 45 reception range. If that’s the case, Cook should be in for another jump in fantasy football production.

With an ADP of 10.8 (RB5) on FantasyPros, Cook is going very high in fantasy football drafts right now, but it’s easy to understand why.