James Cook: Is hurt| Touchdown today| Yards today| Injury| Is playing

Introduction

James Cook is one of the rising stars in the NFL running back corps, and as the Buffalo Bills lean on him more heavily, fans and fantasy managers alike are always watching his status. Questions like “Is Cook hurt?”, “Did he score a touchdown today?”, “How many yards did he get?”, and “Is he playing next week?” are common each week of the season. In this article, we break down Cook’s latest performance, injury status, projections, and what to watch going forward.

Who Is James Cook?

Before diving into week-to-week specifics, here’s a quick refresher:

• James Cook is a running back for the Buffalo Bills.

• He’s listed at 5′11″ and about 190 lbs.

• Cook was drafted in 2022 (second round, pick 63) by the Bills.

• Over recent seasons, he has increased his role in Buffalo’s offense, especially around the red zone and in scoring situations.

He’s now viewed as a key offensive weapon, with both rushing and receiving capabilities.

Latest Injury Status: Is James Cook Hurt?

One of the most frequent questions is: Is Cook injured or limited?

Current Week’s Status

• As of now, Cook is not listed on the active injury report.

• FantasyPros’ injury model gives him a 99% chance to play this week.

• Historically, in this season, he has had no recent injuries or limitations.

• In prior weeks, he had been removed from injury reports when listed (e.g., hamstring) after full participation in practice.

In short: there is no current indication that James Cook is hurt or facing injury limitations that would threaten his playing status.

Past Injury History & Concerns

While Cook has had generally good health, his injury history is part of the context:

• In earlier seasons he has occasionally shown up on injury reports, especially for hamstring or limited practice participation.

• But in 2025, per Fantasy Football Calculator, Cook has zero games listed as out, doubtful, or questionable so far.

• That suggests he has been relatively durable this season compared to frequent injury-prone backs.

So, while any player has some risk, Cook has not had a serious injury derail his season yet.

Did James Cook Score a Touchdown Today?

To answer that, we look at his most recent game(s).

Latest Game Recap

In the game that just concluded (Bills vs. Patriots):

• Cook was held to 49 rushing yards on 15 carries (a 3.3 yards per carry average).

• He had no receptions (caught zero passes on his single target).

• Importantly: he did not score a touchdown in that game.

• This ended his string of scoring in each game of the season.

Thus, no — Cook did not register a touchdown today in that game.

Recent Touchdown Trends

Though today was a quiet day, Cook has had strong touchdown consistency over previous weeks:

• In past games, Cook scored multiple rushing touchdowns and had consistent red zone role.

• For example, in a recent game vs. Miami, Cook rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown, tying a Bills franchise record with his seventh consecutive game with a rushing touchdown.

• In an earlier 2024 game, Cook had a three-touchdown performance (two rushing, one receiving).

So, while today was a low-output day, that doesn’t reflect his overall trend across the season.

How Many Yards Did James Cook Get Today?

We already touched on this briefly, but here’s the full perspective:

Today’s Yardage

• Rushing yards: 49 yards on 15 attempts.

• Receiving yards: 0 yards (he caught zero passes).

So total yardage: 49 yards (purely rushing, no receiving yards contributed).

Context & Season Averages

• Through the season thus far, Cook has totaled 450 rushing yards on 90 carries, with 5 rushing touchdowns.

• His average yards per carry is a healthy 5.0 for the season.

• In past games, he has cleared 100 rushing yards multiple times:
    • In one game, he ran 22 times for 117 yards and a touchdown.
    • In another, he had 108 rushing yards and a touchdown vs. Miami.

Hence, today’s 49-yard output is well below his typical high-end performances this season.

Will James Cook Play Next Week? (“Is Playing”)

Given his role and current status, the outlook is positive that Cook will play in the coming game.

Projections & Models

• As mentioned earlier, FantasyPros’ model assigns 99% chance that he will play.

• He is not on the injury report, indicating no known restrictions or injury concerns that would keep him out.

Role & Importance

• Cook is the featured back in Buffalo’s offense, often handling goal-line and red-zone touches.

• The Bills have invested in him — he signed a 4-year extension worth about $48 million (with substantial guarantees).

• His dual-threat ability (rushing + receiving) gives coaches confidence to keep him active.

Thus, barring a late-week injury development, it is very likely James Cook will be active next week.

Performance Analysis & Outlook

Having covered the basics — injury status, yardage, touchdowns, and playing outlook — let’s analyze deeper: what his performance means, what to expect going forward, and fantasy implications.

What Went Wrong Today?

Some factors likely contributed to his modest day:

1. Stifling run defense — in this matchup, New England was able to clamp down, forcing Buffalo into more passing and limiting ground gains.

2. Crowded box / stacked fronts — defenses may have keyed in on Cook, especially given his red-zone success, leading to more resistance at the line.

3. No receiving contribution — since he had no catches, that limited his total yards.

4. Broken long runs — his longest rush was only 9 yards, meaning there were no explosive runs to lift his total.

So, this game may simply have been a low-outlier rather than a trend shift.

Positives Despite the Output

• Even with a low yardage game, Cook dominated touches — other backs in the backfield (Ray Davis, Ty Johnson) saw minimal usage.

• The Bills continue to trust him in high-leverage situations, especially near the goal line.

• His season totals remain strong — 450 rushing yards over 90 carries (5.0 ypc) with 5 rushing TDs.

• The fact that he’s healthy and playing every week is a huge advantage for consistency.

What to Watch Going Forward

To assess Cook’s outlook, here are some metrics and indicators to keep an eye on:

1. Touch share
    If Cook consistently gets 70%+ of the RB touches, that signals sustained role.

2. Red-zone & goal-line usage
    If he continues to get carries inside the 5-yard line, his touchdown efficiency will matter a lot.

3. Pass-catching volume
    Games where he chips in receiving will lift his total yardage floor.

4. Explosive plays
    Long runs (20+ yards) greatly boost weekly totals and separate him from a workhorse back who grinds out small gains.

5. Injury updates / practice reports
    Keep monitoring injury reports each week; even a minor tweak matters for running backs.

For fantasy players: Cook remains a high-upside RB1/RB2 depending on matchup and usage.

Sample Weekly Snapshot (Using This Week’s Game)

This shows a down game, but not one likely to affect his status going forward.

FAQ: Quick Answers to Common Questions

Q: Is James Cook hurt right now?
A: No, he is not listed on the injury report and has no known limitations this week.

Q: Did Cook score a touchdown today?
A: No, he did not score a touchdown in the most recent game.

Q: How many yards did he get today?
A: He rushed for 49 yards, with zero receiving yards.

Q: Is he going to play next week?
A: Yes, barring a late injury, Cook is expected to play. The models project ~99% chance he’ll be active.

Q: Should fantasy managers worry?
A: Not drastically. This was a poor game, but Cook’s usage and season consistency suggest he’s still a strong asset in most formats.

Conclusion

James Cook remains one of the more intriguing and promising running backs in the NFL. Even though he had a subdued performance in the latest game — 49 rushing yards, no receptions, and no touchdown — the broader picture gives more optimism than concern:

• He is not injured as of now, and no reports indicate otherwise.

• He continues to command the bulk of his team’s rushing workload.

• His season averages (5.0 yards per carry, 5 touchdowns so far) are impressive.

• Projections suggest he will play next week with high probability.

• His usage in red zones and goal-line situations gives him a strong touchdown ceiling.

For fans, coaches, and fantasy managers, the key is to continue monitoring his game-to-game usage, explosiveness, and health. One off week doesn’t define the season — and with Cook’s profile, more big games may be ahead.