Where does Bills' backfield rank among the rest of the NFL?

CBS Sports recently broke each NFL running back group down into several tiers. Where do the Buffalo Bills rank?

Jan 7, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) runs with the football against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills' passing attack has been the subject of much scrutiny in the 2024 NFL offseason, with some pundits around the league questioning if the team did enough to supplement the spring departures of previous lead contributors Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis. Though the concern (while perhaps overblown) is fair, going overlooked in discussions about Buffalo’s offense is the strength and the recent production of its backfield.

James Cook broke out in his second season, racking up 1,122 yards while averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Drafted as a prospective passing down back in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Cook showed the makings of a complete rusher in the 2023 campaign, complementing his improved vision and decision-making on the ground with maintained productivity as a pass-catcher to suggest that his ceiling may be akin to those of the upper-tier rushers in the NFL.

Cook’s excellence, though not an oft-discussed talking point by national pundits this offseason, has been recognized by CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan; in a recent article breaking down each NFL backfield into a specific tier, the analyst ranked the Bills’ rushing attack among the league’s third tier, labeling them an “up-and-comer.”

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“James Cook enjoyed a sensational sophomore season in 2023 as he took on the lion's share of the touches out of Buffalo's backfield and turned it into 1,567 scrimmage yards,” Sullivan wrote.

The New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks round out the tier.

The tier seems a fair landing spot for Buffalo given the other clubs within it; Cook occupying a tier with Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson, Rachaad White, Kyren Williams, and Kenneth Walker III—though a bit generous, on the surface—is fair given his production.

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Benjamin doesn’t make note of the Bills’ other backs, but mention should be given to Ray Davis, a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft who figures to spell Cook in short-yardage and goalline situations. The stout between-the-tackles runner figures to carve out a rather meaningful role within Buffalo’s offense, and his presence, in theory, raises the floor of the unit, as it gives the Bills a younger, reliable back to lean on should Cook struggle/be forced to miss any time.

It’s also unwise to make any mention of Buffalo’s rushing attack without bringing up quarterback Josh Allen, who is as dynamic with his legs as he is with his arms. He’s run for 3,611 yards throughout his six-year NFL career; he’s coming off a 2023 season in which he tallied 524 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. 

Cook, Davis, and Allen project as a dangerous trio who could keep Buffalo’s offense moving as its revamped receiving corps develops internal chemistry; there’s room for this group to ascend from the third tier of NFL rushing attacks in the 2024 season.