James Cook is currently ranked third in the league in rushing yards, totaling 532 yards over five games this season. However, he has fumbled the ball four times, a concern that head coach Joe Brady has emphasized needs to be addressed promptly. Cook's four fumbles are tied for the most among running backs in the league, alongside the Giants' Cam Skattebo.
In a video press conference following the Bills' victory over the Rams, Brady stated that there could be 'consequences' for Cook's turnovers. He remarked, 'We’re putting the ball in harm’s way. It’s negating all the positive. I have confidence in him. At some point there has to be consequences. It’s gotta improve or the carries are gonna decrease.'
Brady acknowledged Cook's positive contributions, saying, 'Look, he’s doing so many good things running the football. I don’t want to lose sight of how great he is running the ball right now.' However, he also noted that Cook's fumbles could lead to losses, stating, 'It’s going to cost us football games. It almost cost us one. We can’t confuse because we won the game that that’s OK.'
Cook fumbled twice during the game against the Rams, including one in overtime, but the Bills managed to secure the win. Pro Football Focus has rated Cook as the 25th-best running back out of 44 this season. Last year, he recorded a career-high six fumbles after having four in 2023. Despite these issues, Cook led the league in rushing yards with 1,621 last year and is on track to surpass 1,000 yards for the fourth consecutive year.
If Cook's carries were to decrease, Ray Davis and Ty Johnson are next on the depth chart, but neither has had significant carries this season due to quarterback Josh Allen's running ability and Cook's position as the primary running back. The Bills currently hold first place in the AFC East with a record of 4-1.