James Cook vs Jonathan Taylor: Who Should You Start?
Two running backs who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. James Cook (Buffalo Bills) finished the 2025 season averaging 16.8 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts) came in at 20.0 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Jonathan Taylor carries a 3.2-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Jonathan Taylor is the receiving back in this matchup, turning 46 targets into 378 yards, while James Cook profiles as a more traditional rusher with 1621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. In PPR and half-PPR formats Jonathan Taylor carries the higher weekly floor. In standard leagues the gap tightens considerably.
James Cook has his bye in Week 7, and Jonathan Taylor rests in Week 11. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
