The 2022 NFL season is drawing closer by the day. Before we know it, training camp and the preseason will be kicking off across the league. As teams begin their respective Mandatory Mini-Camp outings over the next few days, there are still questions over which rookies will shine this year.
In what may be somewhat of a surprise, one media outlet believes Buffalo Bills running back and Second-Round pick, James Cook, will put together a standout rookie season. In a recent article from Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr where he provided 100 bold predictions for 2022, he penned a lofty note on Cook.
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Orr expects the younger brother of former Florida State and current Minnesota Vikings star, Dalvin Cook, to outrush his older sibling in his first year in the league.
81. Dalvin Cook won’t have the most rushing yards in his family in 2022
The Bills’ faux-spread will create huge running lanes for rookie James Cook out of Georgia. Buffalo’s running game hit its stride down the stretch in 2021 and will pick up where it left off Week 1 to buoy Josh Allen’s transition out of former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s offense.
At first glance, this is the definition of a bold prediction. After all, Dalvin Cook has recorded three-straight 1K+ seasons, including 1159 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games in 2021. Coming out of college, James Cook spent the majority of his career splitting time with other running backs before becoming the focal point last season while winning a national championship with Georgia. He compiled a career-high 113 carries for 728 yards and seven touchdowns. Cook also caught 27 passes for 284 yards and four touchdowns.
At second glance, it doesn’t seem like this is a task that would be doable unless Dalvin Cook misses time due to injury. The older Cook is simply too much of a key cog for the Minnesota Vikings. As their top threat on offense, he compiled 249 carries last year. In comparison to Buffalo’s leading rusher, Devin Singletary, who only carried the ball 188 times. That’s a pretty stark differential. The Bills also have the benefit of leaning on quarterback Josh Allen.
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Without fail, Dalvin Cook will once again be the unquestioned leader of Minnesota’s ground game. The same cannot be said for James Cook, who will have to beat out a few productive veterans to earn a significant role.
Buffalo returns the aforementioned Singletary along with backup Zach Moss. Singletary has led the team in rushing over the last three years while Moss has scored four touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. The Bills signed another productive veteran in former Miami Dolphins running back, Duke Johnson. To round out the unit, the team has Taiwan Jones and Raheem Blackshear under contract.
It won’t be an easy climb for Cook on the depth chart but Buffalo obviously holds him in high regard after selecting the speedster towards the end of the second round. He has already impressed the coaching staff during Rookie Mini-Camp with his ability as a receiver and his 4.42 speed.
Regardless, the safe bet is to stick with older brother Dalvin Cook, who is all but guaranteed to be one of the top running backs in the NFL once again. But again, that’s why this was a BOLD prediction from Orr.
The two will get a chance to match up as competitors on the football field for the first time in their professional careers when Minnesota travels to Buffalo on Nov. 13 in week ten.
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