Bills’ James Cook explodes vs. Dolphins: Why young RB is one of NFL’s most underrated playmakers

The Buffalo Bills rolled all over the Miami Dolphins in the first half of Thursday night’s latest episode of the AFC East rivalry. It wasn’t Josh Allen who stole the spotlight at Hard Rock Stadium, however, but rather the young running back by his side: James Cook, who might be one of the most underrated playmakers in the game.

Cook, 24, has the unique quality of both having a distinguished name — his brother, Dalvin, was for a time one of the NFL’s premier ball carriers not so long ago — and still flying under the national radar. After an offseason in which seasoned veterans like Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley bucked the trend of the position by cashing in with lucrative contracts, it’s fair to wonder if Cook is on track to be the next big-money back.

His on-field production suggests as much. Thursday was one thing: At halftime of Week 2’s anticipated contest, the former second-round draft pick had already approached 80 yards from scrimmage and scored three different times — twice on the ground, once through the air. (In doing so, he became the first Bills back with three first-half scores since Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas in 1992.)

Now here’s the kicker: That was with Buffalo also dishing touches to reserves Ray Davis and Ty Johnson, and Miami owning a clear advantage in time of possession. And, most importantly, it was just confirmation of firepower already proven.

Since the start of the 2023 season, Cook ranks fifth among all NFL players in yards from scrimmage (1,670 entering Thursday). Breece Hall, Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb and Christian McCaffrey are the only players ahead, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn’t list at least one of those names, if not all of them, as Offensive Player of the Year favorites for 2024.

Why, exactly, has Cook not received a similar level of acclaim after clearing 1,100 rushing yards in his first full season as a starter? Or averaging 5 yards per carry and almost 10 yards per catch over his first two seasons? Certainly Allen’s presence is gargantuan in Buffalo, and the Bills haven’t always embraced the ground game as a focal point. Even their wide receiver makeover dominated headlines this offseason.

But the numbers don’t lie: Cook has been one of the most efficient and explosive ball carriers when utilized, and contrary to early career suggestions that he registers more as a shifty change-of-pace option at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, he’s also been one of the NFL’s best on traditional carries, totaling the second-most yards (645) on rushes between the tackles in 2023, per NFL Pro stats.

In other words, it might be time to stop discounting the Bills’ running back in the event you’re still doing so. He’s not just a sidekick in Buffalo. He may well be the club’s top playmaker not named Josh Allen, and he might only be hitting his stride at the start of Year 3.