D'Andre Swift vs James Cook: Who Should You Start?
Two running backs who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. D'Andre Swift (Chicago Bears) finished the 2025 season averaging 13.2 fantasy points per game in 16 games. James Cook (Buffalo Bills) came in at 16.8 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
James Cook carries a 3.6-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.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. D'Andre Swift ran for 1087 yards and 9 touchdowns; James Cook posted 1621 and 12. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
D'Andre Swift has his bye in Week 7, and James Cook rests in Week 12. 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.
