• Breece Hall has a clear path back to RB1 territory in 2025: Despite a down year in 2024, Hall remains in line for the kind of high-volume workload that can reignite elite fantasy production.

• James Cook’s efficiency led to a great 2024 season: Cook will need to fend off regression, particularly in the touchdown department, to maintain his status as a high-end fantasy starter in 2025.

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This fantasy football article series breaks down the toughest draft-day decisions facing fantasy managers, using Underdog’s average draft position (ADP) as a guide. Each installment compares similarly ranked players at the same position, using key stats from previous seasons and contextual factors — including team situation — to identify the better pick.

Today’s matchup features New York Jets running back Breece Hall and Buffalo Bills running back James Cook, as we evaluate which is the best option in Round 4 of 2025 fantasy drafts.

Breece Hall (RB13) vs. James Cook (RB14)

After a top-five fantasy finish in 2023, Hall regressed in 2024, ending the year as the PPR RB16 in what was the least efficient season of his career. He also doubled his career fumble total with six, though he still managed to rank top-10 in fantasy points per touch (0.91) among 26 qualifying running backs.

Cook, meanwhile, delivered his second straight top-10 fantasy season on the back of elite efficiency in one of the league’s best offenses. Despite ranking outside the top 25 in opportunities per game, Cook posted the second-best mark in fantasy points per snap (0.55) among qualifiers at the position.

UTILIZATION IN THE RUNNING GAME

Hall remained the Jets’ clear lead option out of the backfield in all situations and should once again handle the bulk of the touches in 2025, with the same group of running backs returning and no major additions. The concern is efficiency: Hall averaged just 4.2 yards per carry last season, a career low that ranked tied for 30th among running backs. A return to his career average on similar volume could be enough to push him back into RB1 territory.

Cook didn’t dominate touches the way Hall did, but he still finished with a nearly identical carry total and made the most of his opportunities. Cook surpassed 1,000 rushing yards and posted 4.9 yards per carry — a top-10 mark at the position — helping buoy his fantasy value through elite efficiency.

UTILIZATION IN THE PASSING GAME

Hall’s involvement in the passing game has been a key part of his fantasy profile, as he has ranked top-three among running backs in targets in each of the past two seasons. While most mobile quarterbacks — including Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen and Anthony Richardson — ranked below average in RB-target rate last year, Justin Fields was the exception. Fields ranked top-five among quarterbacks with at least 150 pass attempts, targeting running backs on 20.4% of his throws. That marks a notable shift from 2023, when Fields was more in line with his mobile peers and his running backs ranked outside the top 25 in targets.

Cook’s role as a receiver dipped in 2024 after finishing top-20 in running back targets the year prior. He fell to 40th in that category, but still managed to find the end zone twice through the air and ranked 26th in yards per route run. Once again, Cook’s efficiency helped sustain his fantasy value despite the drop in usage.

UTILIZATION IN SCORING RANGE

The Jets ranked in the bottom five in goal-to-go plays last season, a reflection of an offense that struggled in both successful play rate and total points scored. That outlook may not change significantly in 2025 as the team continues to rebuild and adjusts to another change at quarterback. Hall should still dominate backfield touches in scoring situations, but that role yielded limited results last year, just two touchdowns on goal-to-go carries, with all five of his rushing scores coming inside the red zone.

Cook, on the other hand, thrived in scoring position. His 27 goal-to-go carries ranked top-five in the league and helped fuel his 16 rushing touchdowns, tied for the NFL lead. Twelve of those scores came from goal-to-go situations, showcasing his central role near the goal line. Still, those touchdown numbers underscore a level of efficiency that may be hard to sustain, adding another layer of regression risk heading into 2025.

TEAM-LEVEL SITUATION

As a team that spent an above-average amount of time playing from behind last season, the Jets weren’t in a favorable position to lean on the run. They finished in the bottom five in run rate and, as a result, faced the second-fewest snaps against stacked boxes. That context should have theoretically benefited Hall’s efficiency, making his across-the-board dip in rushing production during 2024 a bit more concerning.

Buffalo, on the other hand, saw the second-most stacked boxes while still ranking inside the top 10 in run rate. Even though the Bills didn’t dominate on the ground as a team, Cook’s combination of volume and efficiency helped him deliver strong fantasy numbers. With Buffalo projected to remain a high-scoring offense in 2025, there’s a path for Cook to retain fantasy value, even if some touchdown regression is inevitable.

POTENTIAL 2025 BACKFIELD COMPETITION

Braelon Allen carved out a solid role as a rookie, contributing on passing downs and in goal-line situations, making him the clear handcuff to Breece Hall, a status unlikely to change in 2025. Allen quietly impressed in Year 1, outperforming Hall in both rushing and receiving grades. If that trend continues, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him earn a larger share of the workload as his second season unfolds.

Ray Davis had a similarly strong rookie campaign despite a limited role, showcasing enough to lock in as the clear RB2 behind James Cook. With the Bills opting not to add any new faces to the backfield this offseason, Davis and Cook appear poised to reprise their roles in 2025. Davis’ efficiency stood out, as he posted 0.44 fantasy points per snap—a top-10 mark among running backs with at least 75 carries.

While the final decision is yours, don’t go into your draft blind. Check out PFF’s latest fantasy football rankings to see exactly where Breece Hall, James Cook, and the rest of your targets stack up heading into 2025.