James Cook
RB · BUF
· ESPN
· Pro Football Reference
Box score by season
| Season | Team | G | Rush | Rush yds | TD | Tgt | Rec | Rec yds | TD | vs ESPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | BUF | 6 | 117 | 627 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 89 | 0 | 1 differ (Targets 14 vs 15) |
| 2025 | BUF | 17 | 309 | 1,621 | 12 | 40 | 33 | 291 | 2 | ✓ matches |
| 2025 playoffs | BUF | 2 | 39 | 163 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 29 | 0 | |
| 2024 | BUF | 16 | 207 | 1,009 | 16 | 38 | 32 | 258 | 2 | not checked |
| 2024 playoffs | BUF | 3 | 53 | 272 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 64 | 0 | |
| 2023 | BUF | 17 | 237 | 1,122 | 2 | 54 | 44 | 445 | 4 | not checked |
| 2023 playoffs | BUF | 2 | 36 | 140 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 26 | 0 | |
| 2022 | BUF | 16 | 89 | 507 | 2 | 32 | 21 | 180 | 1 | not checked |
| 2022 playoffs | BUF | 2 | 17 | 52 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Official scoring from play-by-play. Regular-season totals for 2025, 2026 are compared with ESPN's after every rebuild (all players); earlier seasons aren't checked.
Advanced
Targets
14
qualifying bar 11
EPA/play
+0.223
88th of 192 · lg +0.194
Success rate
35.7%
165th of 192 · lg 49.6%
Yards/play
6.36
120th of 192 · lg 7.35
Explosive rate
14.3%
43rd of 192 · lg 9.0%
Catch rate
71.4%
72nd of 192 · lg 67.2%
Air yards/att
-1.0
176th of 192 · lg 8.0
Turnover rate
0.0%
1st of 192 · lg 2.6%
TD rate
0.0%
131st of 192 · lg 4.8%
Every split
EPA per target in each situation, the league in the same situation, and his rank among qualified players with at least 12 targets there (1 = best). "Repeats" is how much that split's player-to-player differences carry from one season to the next (2016–25); near zero means it describes the past and predicts little. Click a situation to filter all his numbers to it.
| Situation | Targets | EPA/play | Success | Yds/play | League EPA | Rank | Repeats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home / away Setting compare everyone → | |||||||
| Home | 6 | -0.334 | 0% | 2.0 | +0.199 | — | -0.02 |
| Away | 8 | +0.640 | 62% | 9.6 | +0.194 | — | -0.03 |
| Neutral site | 0 | — | — | — | +0.154 | — | — |
| Rest days Setting compare everyone → | |||||||
| Short week (≤5 days) | 3 | -0.387 | 0% | 1.3 | +0.273 | — | 0.19 |
| Normal (6–8 days) | 6 | +0.837 | 67% | 12.2 | +0.181 | — | -0.01 |
| Extra rest (9–12 days) | 1 | -0.367 | 0% | 0.0 | +0.245 | — | 0.21 |
| Off a bye (13+ days) | 0 | — | — | — | +0.221 | — | — |
| Indoors / outdoors Weather compare everyone → | |||||||
| Indoors | 8 | +0.640 | 62% | 9.6 | +0.224 | — | 0.05 |
| Outdoors | 6 | -0.334 | 0% | 2.0 | +0.182 | — | 0.05 |
| Temperature (outdoors) Weather compare everyone → | |||||||
| 60–79°F | 6 | -0.334 | 0% | 2.0 | +0.210 | — | -0.02 |
| 80°F+ | 0 | — | — | — | +0.213 | — | 0.01 |
| Wind (outdoors) Weather compare everyone → | |||||||
| 0–9 mph | 3 | -0.387 | 0% | 1.3 | +0.215 | — | -0.09 |
| 10–14 mph | 3 | -0.281 | 0% | 2.7 | +0.200 | — | 0.05 |
| Rain or snow (outdoors) Weather compare everyone → | |||||||
| Dry | 6 | -0.334 | 0% | 2.0 | +0.190 | — | 0.03 |
| Rain or snow | 0 | — | — | — | +0.105 | — | 0.03 |
| Score Game state compare everyone → | |||||||
| Trailing 9+ | 0 | — | — | — | +0.194 | — | -0.01 |
| Trailing 1–8 | 8 | +0.143 | 38% | 6.1 | +0.179 | — | 0.07 |
| Tied | 2 | +1.332 | 50% | 14.5 | +0.213 | — | 0.02 |
| Leading 1–8 | 1 | +0.473 | 100% | 7.0 | +0.159 | — | -0.03 |
| Leading 9+ | 3 | -0.387 | 0% | 1.3 | +0.278 | — | -0.05 |
| Win probability Game state compare everyone → | |||||||
| Win prob under 20% | 0 | — | — | — | +0.185 | — | -0.05 |
| Win prob 20–80% | 11 | +0.389 | 45% | 7.7 | +0.191 | — | -0.02 |
| Win prob over 80% | 3 | -0.387 | 0% | 1.3 | +0.226 | — | 0.09 |
| Quarter Game state compare everyone → | |||||||
| Q1 | 3 | +0.108 | 33% | 5.3 | +0.150 | — | 0.04 |
| Q2 | 4 | +0.304 | 50% | 8.0 | +0.189 | — | -0.01 |
| Q3 | 3 | -0.250 | 0% | 2.0 | +0.189 | — | -0.01 |
| Q4 | 4 | +0.583 | 50% | 8.8 | +0.229 | — | -0.03 |
| OT | 0 | — | — | — | +0.439 | — | — |
| Two-minute Game state compare everyone → | |||||||
| Last 2 min of half | 1 | -0.367 | 0% | 0.0 | +0.133 | — | 0.10 |
| Rest of game | 13 | +0.268 | 38% | 6.8 | +0.206 | 70/155 | 0.10 |
| Down Situation compare everyone → | |||||||
| 1st down | 5 | +0.168 | 40% | 6.4 | +0.229 | — | 0.00 |
| 2nd down | 8 | -0.051 | 25% | 3.9 | +0.185 | — | 0.02 |
| 3rd down | 1 | +2.686 | 100% | 26.0 | +0.138 | — | -0.02 |
| 4th down | 0 | — | — | — | +0.430 | — | — |
| 3rd-down distance Situation compare everyone → | |||||||
| 3rd & 1–3 | 1 | +2.686 | 100% | 26.0 | +0.162 | — | — |
| 3rd & 4–6 | 0 | — | — | — | +0.255 | — | -0.27 |
| 3rd & 7+ | 0 | — | — | — | +0.072 | — | 0.02 |
| Field position Situation compare everyone → | |||||||
| Own 20 and in | 0 | — | — | — | +0.142 | — | -0.04 |
| Own 50–21 | 9 | +0.023 | 33% | 4.1 | +0.169 | — | 0.04 |
| Opp 21–49 | 3 | +1.320 | 67% | 16.3 | +0.226 | — | 0.06 |
| Red zone (opp 20 in) | 2 | -0.526 | 0% | 1.5 | +0.248 | — | 0.05 |
| Formation Style compare everyone → | |||||||
| Shotgun | 5 | +0.017 | 20% | 6.4 | +0.177 | — | -0.02 |
| Under center | 9 | +0.337 | 44% | 6.3 | +0.264 | — | -0.02 |
| Tempo Style compare everyone → | |||||||
| Huddle | 14 | +0.223 | 36% | 6.4 | +0.196 | 83/171 | -0.00 |
| No huddle | 0 | — | — | — | +0.179 | — | -0.00 |
| Yards to go Situation compare everyone → | |||||||
| 1–3 to go | 3 | +1.053 | 67% | 11.7 | +0.228 | — | 0.05 |
| 4–6 to go | 3 | -0.031 | 33% | 4.3 | +0.269 | — | 0.02 |
| 7–10 to go | 6 | -0.242 | 17% | 2.0 | +0.204 | — | 0.03 |
| 11+ to go | 2 | +0.752 | 50% | 14.5 | +0.072 | — | -0.07 |
| Pass depth Passing compare everyone → | |||||||
| Behind the line | 7 | +0.091 | 29% | 5.9 | -0.214 | — | 0.15 |
| Short (0–9) | 7 | +0.354 | 43% | 6.9 | +0.173 | — | 0.09 |
| Intermediate (10–19) | 0 | — | — | — | +0.428 | — | 0.07 |
| Deep (20+) | 0 | — | — | — | +0.462 | — | 0.01 |
| Pass direction Passing compare everyone → | |||||||
| Left | 7 | +0.148 | 29% | 5.4 | +0.141 | — | 0.04 |
| Middle | 0 | — | — | — | +0.330 | — | -0.02 |
| Right | 7 | +0.298 | 43% | 7.3 | +0.173 | — | 0.03 |
| Play action Scheme (FTN) compare everyone → | |||||||
| Play action | 4 | -0.064 | 25% | 3.0 | +0.279 | — | -0.03 |
| No play action | 7 | -0.236 | 14% | 2.7 | +0.186 | — | -0.03 |
| In / out of pocket Scheme (FTN) compare everyone → | |||||||
| In pocket | 9 | -0.262 | 11% | 2.3 | +0.207 | — | -0.05 |
| Out of pocket | 2 | +0.224 | 50% | 5.0 | +0.209 | — | -0.05 |
| Blitz Defense (FTN) compare everyone → | |||||||
| Blitzed | 4 | +0.091 | 50% | 4.2 | +0.184 | — | 0.08 |
| No blitz | 7 | -0.325 | 0% | 2.0 | +0.217 | — | 0.08 |
| Pass rushers Defense (FTN) compare everyone → | |||||||
| 3 or fewer rushers | 0 | — | — | — | +0.274 | — | — |
| 4 rushers | 7 | -0.325 | 0% | 2.0 | +0.215 | — | 0.12 |
| 5 rushers | 2 | -0.031 | 50% | 3.0 | +0.203 | — | 0.15 |
| 6+ rushers | 2 | +0.214 | 50% | 5.5 | +0.136 | — | — |
| Defenders in the box Defense (FTN) compare everyone → | |||||||
| Light box (6 or fewer) | 4 | -0.202 | 0% | 3.0 | +0.182 | — | -0.04 |
| 7 in the box | 6 | -0.057 | 33% | 3.2 | +0.239 | — | -0.05 |
| Stacked box (8+) | 1 | -0.757 | 0% | 0.0 | +0.324 | — | — |
| Screen Scheme (FTN) compare everyone → | |||||||
| Screen | 1 | -0.357 | 0% | 0.0 | -0.098 | — | 0.50 |
| Not a screen | 10 | -0.155 | 20% | 3.1 | +0.239 | — | 0.50 |
| Pre-snap motion Scheme (FTN) compare everyone → | |||||||
| Motion | 7 | -0.401 | 0% | 1.6 | +0.240 | — | 0.10 |
| No motion | 4 | +0.225 | 50% | 5.0 | +0.166 | — | 0.10 |
| RPO Scheme (FTN) compare everyone → | |||||||
| RPO | 0 | — | — | — | -0.103 | — | — |
| Not an RPO | 11 | -0.173 | 18% | 2.8 | +0.214 | — | — |
By season
| Season | Team | Targets | EPA/play | Total EPA | Success | Yds/play | Catch rate | aDOT | YAC/catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | BUF | 14 | +0.223 | +3.1 | 35.7% | 6.36 | 71.4% | -1.0 | 9.8 |
Definitions. QB plays are dropbacks: passes, sacks and scrambles (spikes left out). QB EPA doesn't charge the passer for a receiver's fumble after the catch. Rushing is designed runs only; receiving is EPA per target. EPA is about ±1.4 points a play, so a split of 50 plays carries roughly ±0.2 of luck.