Isiah Pacheco vs James Cook: Who Should You Start?
James Cook and Isiah Pacheco are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Buffalo Bills running back averaged 16.8 PPG in 2025, a full 10.8 points per game ahead of Isiah Pacheco's 6.0 with the Detroit Lions. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
The per-game difference of 10.8 points favors James Cook, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one running back to the other.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Isiah Pacheco ran for 462 yards and 1 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.
Isiah Pacheco has his bye in Week 5, 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.
