Why James Cook Missed Out on Elite Grade Despite Career Year

James Cook had a career year for the Buffalo Bills in 2025. He led the NFL in rushing and scored 12 touchdowns. This comes just one year after he tied for the NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024.

Simply put, he's been a dominant workhorse for one of the best offenses in the league.

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

That's why it was slightly surprising to see where he finished in PFF's final running back rankings. Cook finished at No. 10 overall with a grade of 81.1, which might sound low given his output. The reason for his placement, however, is made clear by PFF's Jim Wyman, who said ball security was the only thing holding Cook back.

"How does a man who rushed for 1,817 yards, 1,067 of which came after contact, 12 touchdowns and 76 first downs in addition to forcing 66 missed tackles only come in 10th amongst the league’s running backs? The answer is simple: Cook put the ball on the ground seven times, losing four of them. If we eliminate those seven fumbles, Cook’s grade jumps to 90.1, which would rank second on this list."

Fumbling was an issue throughout the season for Cook, as he led all running backs with the most fumbles as well as the most fumbles lost.

James Cook had several crucial fumbles this past season

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown recovers running back James Cook fumble against the New York Jets. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Buffalo had to overcome some devastating turnovers this season. One example was in their Week 14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Buffalo was trailing 21-18, ready to take the lead late in the third quarter when Cook fumbled on first-and-goal from the two-yard line.

The Bengals recovered and took a 28-18 lead following a long drive. The Bills wound up winning 39-34, but that was a devastating swing in points.

MORE: Buffalo Bills' Top Offseason Target Declared, Per NFL Commentator

Cook also had a crucial fumble in their postseason loss to the Denver Broncos. Buffalo had a 7-3 lead and was on the way to more points. The momentum flipped when Cook fumbled the ball at the Denver 30, giving the Bengals the ball.

The Broncos turned that into a touchdown, going up 10-7. That was another massive swing in momemtun and the Bills spent the rest of the game chasing Denver. Things might have worked out much differently had he held onto the ball.

Looking ahead to 2026, Cook will still be a featured part of the Bills' offense, and he should be. That said, he needs to figure out a way to protect the ball better.