James Cook III or Quinshon Judkins: who should I start in Week 5?

Where the draft room stands

Drafters have formed no consensus on James Cook III: he carries no ADP, and the board ranks him 22nd overall on the rest of his evidence.

By format he goes standard: ADP 2; 2QB: ADP 10.

Drafters have formed no consensus on Quinshon Judkins: he carries no ADP, and the board ranks him 33rd overall on the rest of his evidence.

What the player markets price

The market has James Cook III at 16.5 PPR points a game off 4 markets across 15 market sources. That is 80 percent of what a running back's price needs, so it is a fragment of one rather than a projection.

The market has Quinshon Judkins at 13.7 PPR points a game off 3 markets across 15 market sources. That is 90 percent of what a running back's price needs, so it is a fragment of one rather than a projection.

James Cook III's price is not complete, so the two figures are not set against each other here.

This season through Week 4

Through Week 4, James Cook III has been on the field for 68 percent of BUF snaps, taken 67 percent of the carries, drawn 9 percent of the targets and had 38 percent of the red zone chances.

He has taken 0 of the offence's 31 third down targets, had 4 of its 13 chances inside the five and seen 1 of its 22 two minute targets.

His 10 targets have come 0.8 yards behind the line of scrimmage on average.

In Week 2 against DET he carried 21 times for 135 yards, caught 1 of 3 targets for 4 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

In Week 3 against LAC he carried 24 times for 154 yards, caught 0 of 1 target for 0 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

In Week 4 against NE he carried 12 times for 75 yards, caught 2 of 2 targets for 8 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

Through Week 4, Quinshon Judkins has been on the field for 62 percent of CLE snaps, taken 61 percent of the carries, drawn 14 percent of the targets and had 44 percent of the red zone chances.

He has taken 1 of the offence's 24 third down targets, had 4 of its 7 chances inside the five and seen 2 of its 17 two minute targets.

His 16 targets have come 1.8 yards behind the line of scrimmage on average.

In Week 2 against TB he carried 12 times for 21 yards, caught 5 of 5 targets for 27 yards and did not score.

In Week 3 against CAR he carried 18 times for 70 yards, caught 2 of 2 targets for 9 yards and did not score.

In Week 4 against PIT he carried 17 times for 53 yards, caught 6 of 7 targets for 43 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025 James Cook III played 17 games and scored 302.2 PPR points, 17.8 a game, finishing RB6.

He carried 309 times for 1621 yards and 12 touchdowns, and caught 33 of 40 targets for 291 more yards.

That came to 18.2 carries a game at 5.2 yards a carry and 1.9 catches a game.

He was on the field for 60 percent of the snaps in the games he played.

In 2025 Quinshon Judkins played 15 games and scored 169.8 PPR points, 11.3 a game, finishing RB26.

He carried 230 times for 827 yards and 7 touchdowns, and caught 26 of 36 targets for 171 more yards.

That came to 15.3 carries a game at 3.6 yards a carry and 1.7 catches a game.

He was on the field for 50 percent of the snaps in the games he played.

James Cook III was available for 2 games more.

Head to head

In 2025 James Cook III scored 17.8 PPR points a game and Quinshon Judkins 11.3, 6.5 a game between them.

James Cook III finished RB6 that year and Quinshon Judkins RB26.

James Cook III had 79 more carries than Quinshon Judkins, 309 to 230.

James Cook III had 7 more catches than Quinshon Judkins, 33 to 26.

This season James Cook III holds the bigger snap share, 68 percent against 62 percent.

This season James Cook III holds the bigger share of the carries, 67 percent against 61 percent.

Byes and availability

James Cook III is off in Week 7 and Quinshon Judkins in Week 11, so either can cover the other's bye.