Bills' James Cook Slapped in Face Again by Ranking of Top 101 NFL Players

It was a big year for several Buffalo Bills players, who made their mark with notable individual performances both offensively and defensively.

Two names among that list were James Cook and Greg Rousseau, as both players enjoyed team-leading efforts throughout the 2025 campaign. On Tuesday, Pro Football Focus named both players as two of the top 101 players in the NFL.

Cook was ranked as the outlet’s 77th-best player in the league, while Rousseau came in at No. 64.

The recognition was swell. However, if you look closer, Cook’s placement on the list was quite disrespectful.

Rushing champ

The case for Cook to be placed higher is an easy one, as he finished the season as the NFL’s individual rushing leader with 1,621 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. He also helped the Bills lead the league in rushing as a team with an average of 159.6 yards per game.

The Bills’ running back was the only player at his position ranked from 77 to 61, where the list was cut off. The remainder of the list will be released in the coming days, when names such as Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will surely be placed ahead of Cook.

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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III (4) runs against Denver Broncos linebacker Jonah Elliss (52) and defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike (96) during the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

While both Robinson and McCaffrey recorded a higher percentage of their team’s total yards this season, Cook proved his worth in areas in which you must dig deeper to discover his true impact.

More stats

Cook led the league in rushing yards over expected (+358) and was second among running backs in yards per carry (minimum 75 carries), averaging 5.2 yards per tote, which trailed only Miami Dolphins RB De’Von Achane. His rush success rate (44.7%) also exceeded that of Robinson and McCaffrey, per Next Gen Stats.

During a season in which the Bills’ passing game wasn’t at its best, averaging the 15th most yards per game (216.6) in the league, Cook provided a steady force upon which the team could rely during some of its most critical victories.

In a Week 8 win over the Carolina Panthers, Cook went off for a career-high 216 yards rushing and two touchdowns. In the next game, Cook recorded 114 yards rushing in a victory over the rival Kansas City Chiefs. Later in the year, Cook rushed for 144 yards on a career-high 32 carries in a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The consensus has been that Robinson and McCaffrey were more valuable to their team this season. However, I would beg to differ.

It’s tough to punish a player for playing behind one of the most productive quarterbacks the league has ever seen in quarterback Josh Allen, who eats up a lot of touchdowns and moves the football using his legs more than most quarterbacks. It’s also not Cook’s fault that he was underutilized in the passing game, where he saw just 40 targets compared to Robinson’s 103 and McCaffrey’s 129.

Nevertheless, since the season ended, the lack of respect for Cook has been apparent, beginning with the All-Pro voting and subsequently with the release of various rankings during the offseason.