James Cook vs Kenneth Gainwell: 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. Kenneth Gainwell (Pittsburgh Steelers) came in at 10.9 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
James Cook carries a 5.9-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.
Kenneth Gainwell is the receiving back in this matchup, turning 73 targets into 486 yards, while James Cook profiles as a more traditional rusher with 1621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. In PPR and half-PPR formats Kenneth Gainwell carries the higher weekly floor. In standard leagues the gap tightens considerably.
James Cook has his bye in Week 7, and Kenneth Gainwell rests in Week 5. 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.
