ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler released his annual top 10 positional rankings, voted on by NFL personnel across the league, with running backs up first. Buffalo Bills back James Cook landed at No. 7. For a player who led the NFL in rushing yards and rushing yards over expectation last season, that placement feels like a significant undervaluation of one of the most complete backs in football.

Fowler acknowledged in his write-up that some of the NFL personnel voting on these rankings remain reluctant to move past the old guard at the position. That reluctance shows in the names ahead of Cook. Jonathan Taylor checked in at No. 5, and Derrick Henry landed at No. 6. Both are accomplished backs with impressive resumes, but neither offers what Cook brings as a true three-down running back.

Cook’s receiving ability separates him

Taylor has shown flashes of pass-game involvement, particularly working alongside quarterback Daniel Jones in play-action concepts. But Cook is a completely different animal as a receiver. He belongs in a small, elite tier of running backs who are just as dynamic catching the ball as they are running between and outside the tackles. That group includes Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.

The ability to stay on the field for all three downs gives Cook a value multiplier that the traditional rushers ahead of him on this list simply cannot match. Defenses cannot key on the run when Cook is in the game because he represents a legitimate receiving threat on every snap.

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The production speaks for itself

Cook led the entire NFL in rushing yards last season. He also led the league in rushing yards over expectation, which strips away the noise of scheme and blocking and isolates what the runner himself creates. Those are not volume stats propped up by a bad team running out the clock. Cook did that in a Buffalo Bills offense that was competing at the highest level.

Seeing Cook ranked behind Taylor and Henry despite those two numbers tells you everything about how the voting process works. Reputation and longevity still carry enormous weight with league personnel, even when the production data points clearly in another direction.

Where Cook should land

In my opinion, Cook deserves to be ranked higher than 7th. You can make strong arguments for Robinson, Gibbs, and McCaffrey based on their receiving versatility and overall impact. But slotting Cook behind backs who don’t match his three-down profile after a season where he was statistically the best rusher in football feels like the voters let legacy cloud their judgment.

Cook’s 2024 season should have pushed him into the top five at minimum. He was the most productive rusher in the league while also functioning as a legitimate weapon in the pass game. That combination is rare, and the rankings should reflect it.