Bills' Top RB trails Chiefs' Pacheco, Dolphins' Achane in Fantasy Rankings

Buffalo Bills' RB1 James Cook did not crack Sports Illustrated's Top 10 in fantasy football positional rankings.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) loses the ball as he breaks into the open field. The ball bounced right back into his hands without breaking stride, Cook ran for 109 yards. / Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and

Running back James Cook overcame a shaky rookie season and established himself as a productive RB1 for the Buffalo Bills in 2023.

Cook's undisputed position atop the Bills' depth chart should translate into a high volume of usage during his third season as a pro, making him a viable low-end RB1/high-end RB2 starter in all fantasy football leagues.

In terms of Cook's projected production, Sports Illustrated fantasy guru Michael Fabiano did not rank the Bills' primary ball carrier in the Top 10. Landing in between Miami's De'Vone Achane and New Orleans's Alvin Kamara, Cook sits at No. 14 overall in the SI positional rankings. San Francisco 49ers' stud Christian McCaffrey headlines the list followed by Bijan Robinson (Falcons) and Breece Hall (Jets).

Fabiano also classified draftable running backs into tiers with Cook residing in Tier 5 along with Kamara, Achane and Seattle's Kenneth Walker under the "High RB2s" classification. Meanwhile, Josh Jacobs (Packers), Derrick Henry (Ravens), Rashaad White (Buccaneers), and Isiah Pacheco (Chiefs) comprise Tier 4.

From 2024 Fantasy Football Running Back Tiers:

"Cook was solid once Joe Brady took over the Bills offense last season, averaging more than 16 points. He should remain the team’s lead back, even with the addition of rookie Ray Davis."

Cook, a former second-round draft pick out of Georgia, ranked second amongst all AFC running backs in yards from scrimmage last year. Available for all 17 regular season games, he rushed for 1,122 yards and gained 445 yards as a receiver. Buffalo's RB1 averaged 4.7 yards per carry and 10.1 yards per reception.

The 24-year-old's fantasy value could receive a big boost if the Bills decide to give him more red-zone opportunities. Cook has only two rushing touchdowns in 2023 while quarterback Josh Allen scored 15 touchdowns on the ground.