The Buffalo Bills prepare for a Week 10 divisional showdown against the Miami Dolphins following their statement victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. James Cook made a surprise appearance on Wednesday’s practice report with foot and ankle injuries. Will fantasy football managers have their elite running back available for this favorable matchup?
James Cook Injury Update
Cook has remained healthy throughout the 2025 season, making his sudden appearance on the injury report an unexpected development. The Bills listed him with both foot and ankle issues on Wednesday, and he did not practice at all.
Head coach Sean McDermott addressed Cook’s status, explaining that the running back has been sore following Sunday’s win. According to Joe Buscaglia, “RB James Cook’s injury happened during Sunday’s win over the Chiefs, and that Cook has been sore the last couple of days.”
The use of the term “sore” is actually encouraging here. McDermott’s language suggests Cook is more banged up than actually injured. There’s a significant difference between being sore from the physical toll of an NFL game and dealing with a legitimate injury that threatens availability.
Cook apparently suffered whatever is bothering him during the Chiefs game but managed to finish the contest. The fact he played through it and only now appears on the injury report with soreness indicates this is likely a minor issue rather than something structurally concerning.
As a reminder, Wednesday practices are largely meaningless when evaluating injury status. Veterans regularly receive lighter workloads or get rested entirely if they have anything going on, especially this late in the season. Coaching staffs prioritize keeping key players fresh and healthy for game day over ensuring full practice participation early in the week.
Thursday’s practice report becomes crucial for determining Cook’s actual status. As long as Cook returns to at least a limited session on Thursday, he should be good to go for Sunday’s matchup against Miami. Even limited participation would signal the soreness is manageable and won’t prevent him from playing.
If Cook remains out Thursday, the concern level would escalate slightly. However, given McDermott’s casual tone and the description of the issue as soreness rather than an injury, fantasy managers should feel confident about Cook’s Week 10 availability.
Cook’s Fantasy Outlook
Cook has been one of the best running backs in fantasy football this year. Through nine games, he’s averaging a career-high 19.0 fantasy points per game, establishing himself as a legitimate RB1 every single week. His consistency has made him one of the most valuable assets in fantasy leagues.
The opportunities have been there for Cook like never before. He’s seeing a career-high 76% opportunity share, meaning he’s involved in more than three-quarters of Buffalo’s rushing attempts and running back targets. His 62% snap share also represents a career high, demonstrating the Bills’ trust in making him an every-down player.
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This week’s matchup couldn’t be better for Cook’s fantasy prospects. The Miami Dolphins have fielded a dreadful run defense all season, consistently getting gashed by opposing ground games. They rank among the league’s worst units against the run, making them an ideal opponent for Cook to post monster numbers.
In the unlikely event Cook can’t go, Ty Johnson has been operating as the RB2 in Buffalo’s backfield. He and Ray Davis would form a committee to handle Cook’s absence. Both backs would be startable in fantasy lineups given the favorable matchup, though neither would replicate Cook’s elite production or command his workload.
Johnson brings receiving skills and change-of-pace quickness, while Davis provides a more traditional between-the-tackles running style. The split would likely lean toward an even distribution, preventing either from reaching Cook’s ceiling but keeping both viable as flex options.
However, fantasy managers should operate under the assumption that Cook will play. The Wednesday DNP appears to be nothing more than veteran rest combined with general soreness from a physical game. Barring a surprising setback Thursday, Cook should be locked into lineups as a must-start RB1 against Miami’s porous run defense.