James Cook vs Michael Carter: Who Should You Start?
James Cook and Michael Carter are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Buffalo Bills running back averaged 16.8 PPG in 2025, a full 10.5 points per game ahead of Michael Carter's 6.3 with the Tennessee Titans. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
James Cook carries a 10.5-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. James Cook ran for 1621 yards and 12 touchdowns; Michael Carter posted 333 and 1. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
James Cook has his bye in Week 12, and Michael Carter 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.
