Why Bills' James Cook Was Named MVP Candidate Before Training Camp

The Buffalo Bills are not equipped with a long list of star players worthy of MVP consideration.

Josh Allen claimed the award in 2024 and was a finalist again in 2025, but beyond Buffalo’s superstar quarterback, it’s interesting to consider if any other player could possibly take home the NFL’s highest honor in 2026. Buffalo traded a second-round pick for DJ Moore on March 5, while it signed edge rusher Bradley Chubb to a three-year, $43.5 million deal on March 11. But neither are bona fide superstars.

James Cook might be the only other player with an MVP case at season’s end, as he is coming off an incredible year and is expected to help carry the Bills’ offense once again in first-year head coach Joe Brady’s debut campaign. Cook set a career-high in rushing yards over expected per attempt [RYOE/Att] in 2025 at +1.2 and will be looking to build on how he performed a year ago.

When naming non-quarterback candidates for the MVP, NFL.com’s Kevin Patra brought Cook’s name to the forefront.

“Defenses can’t help but key on Josh Allen, and the addition of DJ Moore could force more attention,” wrote Patra. “That should keep lanes open for Cook to corvette his way through.”

Patra added how he feels the transition to Joe Brady may impact Cook’s usage, “Joe Brady, unshackled from his predecessor at head coach, could lean more on the pass attack, but he shouldn’t get too far away from Cook.”

One way Cook’s value could increase for Bills

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III runs with teh ball after catching a short pass from quarterback Josh Allen during second half action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov 16, 2025 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Beyond his rushing ability, there’s another reason why many believe Cook will enjoy another successful season. With Brady taking full control of the team and hiring new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, the expectation is that Cook will be used much more in the passing game than he was a season ago.

Carmichael is a Sean Payton disciple who has previously worked with elite pass-catching running backs such as Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara. Both players recorded 80 receptions or more in a single season under Carmichael's tutelage. The hope is that his introduction to the Bills’ coaching staff will help Cook spread his wings in more areas than simply running the football.

This past year, Cook recorded just 33 receptions on 40 targets, which were a slight increase from the year before, but fewer than the 54 targets and 44 receptions he finished with in 2023. His receiving EPA [Expected Points Added] has dropped each of the past three seasons and came in at just +5.9 in 2025, according to Next Gen Stats.

For the Bills to truly unleash Cook this season, they will have to look to him more often in the passing game, where he averaged 10.1 yards per reception and scored four touchdowns through the air during that ’23 campaign.

Cook claimed the NFL rushing title in 2025 with 1,621 yards on the ground and by no means should the Bills look to reinvent the wheel here. But to squeeze as much juice out of the orange that is Buffalo’s top ball carrier this season, they must look to him in the flat and on screen opportunities much more often than they have the past two years.

The one concern for Cook during his most prolific season in the receiving game was his tendency to drop passes. He recorded a career-high six drops during that season, but bounced back with just five drops over the past two seasons.

With Cook’s game continuing to flourish, the Bills’ offense needs to grow with him, and that means featuring him more as a receiver in 2026.

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