Why Bills RB James Cook is a prime breakout candidate

James Cook is coming off a solid sophomore season in which the second-year running back racked up over 1,500 total yards with two rushing touchdowns and four receiving touchdowns. That’s not bad for the former second-round pick. However, in a Buffalo Bills offense that should continue to be explosive in 2024, the Georgia product could be a prime candidate for the backup job heading into Year 3.

One of the main reasons for this statement is that Cook has a better chance of thriving with Joe Brady as offensive coordinator and Josh Allen as quarterback. First, Cook is a pass-catching back who hauled in 44 of his 54 targets last year for 445 yards and four touchdowns. Not only did Buffalo release 25 running back targets in the free agency losses, but they also have to fill the volume left by Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, who saw 241 passes go their way in 2023. Second, going back to the losses in the backfield, there are over 100 nullified rushing attempts compared to last season. Finally, this could finally be the year Buffalo decides to take some of the pressure off Allen in the red zone and let Cook account for some of Allen’s 15 rushing touchdowns. Now, this article isn’t just about assuming the Bills will give Cook the entire empty workload; there are several examples of top running backs who have exploded in Year 3.

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The example that Bills Mafia hopes Cook will become is the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey. The future Hall of Famer turned All-Pro in his third year. CMC’s rushing touchdowns increased from two as a rookie and seven as a sophomore to 15, and his all-purpose yards increased by more than 450.

Austin Ekeler is another such player who has taken a leap forward. He didn’t really get going until his third year with the Chargers, but in his third year as a star RB, his rushing yards increased by over 400, and his touchdown total went from three to 20.

Third-year explosions aren’t limited to prototypical three-down backs. Derrick Henry saw a huge increase in production in his third year with the Titans. The Crimson Tide product saw his rushing yards increase by over 300 and his touchdowns increase by two to 12.

None of this guarantees that Cook will be a chef in 2024, but the Bulldog will certainly have the opportunity to spice up the Bills’ backfield. With the examples above, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s cooking up some fantastic recipes in 2024.

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