Start Ashton Jeanty or James Cook III? Week 2

Our Week 2 call

Start James Cook III over Ashton Jeanty in Week 2.

Ashton Jeanty is priced by the books at 16.8 projected points and James Cook III is not priced at all, so we are leaning on where drafters take them. Drafters take James Cook III at ADP 3 and Ashton Jeanty at 7.

What the books imply

No sportsbook posted a player market for James Cook III in Week 2.

Player prop markets imply 16.8 fantasy points for Ashton Jeanty, with 100 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

Week 2 matchups

James Cook III and BUF host DET.

DET allowed 25.0 fantasy points to RBs in its one game this season, the 12th most in the league.

Running backs ran for 80 yards and a touchdown against DET and caught passes for 30 more yards.

Ashton Jeanty and LV visit LAC on Sunday at 4:05 PM ET.

LAC allowed 22.0 fantasy points to RBs in its one game this season, the 15th fewest in the league.

Running backs ran for 102 yards and a touchdown against LAC and caught passes for 18 more yards.

By points allowed to the position, James Cook III has the softer matchup.

Injury status

James Cook III is not on the injury report.

Ashton Jeanty is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 2

Through Week 1, Ashton Jeanty played 74 percent of LV snaps, took 68 percent of the carries, drew 21 percent of the targets and had 58 percent of the red zone chances.

Ashton Jeanty, Week 1 against MIA: 50 of 68 snaps, 23 carries for 102 yards, 6 targets and 6 catches for 45 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Their 2025 seasons

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

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

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

James Cook III, Week 18 of 2025 against NYJ: 2 carries for 15 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards, 1.5 PPR points.

James Cook III, Week 17 of 2025 against PHI: 39 of 76 snaps, 20 carries for 74 yards, 4 targets and 1 catch for 3 yards, 8.7 PPR points.

James Cook III, Week 16 of 2025 against CLE: 28 of 50 snaps, 16 carries for 117 yards, 2 targets and 1 catch for 17 yards, 2 touchdowns, 26.4 PPR points.

In 2025, Ashton Jeanty played 17 games for LV and scored 245.1 PPR points, 14.4 a game, finishing RB11.

He ran 266 times for 975 yards and 5 touchdowns, and caught 55 of 73 targets for 346 yards.

He was on the field for 76 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Ashton Jeanty, Week 18 of 2025 against KC: 26 carries for 87 yards, 5 targets and 3 catches for 7 yards, 12.4 PPR points.

Ashton Jeanty, Week 17 of 2025 against NYG: 48 of 59 snaps, 16 carries for 60 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 13 yards, 9.3 PPR points.

Their other Week 2 calls

• Start Bijan Robinson over James Cook III.
• Start James Cook III over Chase Brown.
• Start James Cook III over Omarion Hampton.
• Start Ashton Jeanty over Chase Brown.
• Start Ashton Jeanty over D'Andre Swift.
• Start Derrick Henry over Ashton Jeanty.