James Cook vs Saquon Barkley
Who should you draft in 2026 fantasy football? Our machine learning model's projections, value over replacement (VBD), and the draft market's lean, refreshed every morning.
RB5
James Cook
261.6
projected 2026 points (PPR)
The model's pick
VS
RB8
Saquon Barkley
238.0
projected 2026 points (PPR)
The call
The model takes James Cook, and it isn't close: 23.6 points of value over replacement separate them (128.1 vs 104.5).
The draft market agrees: James Cook goes first at ADP 12.6 vs 19.3 for Saquon Barkley.
| James CookBUF | Saquon BarkleyPHI | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Projected 2026 points (PPR) | 261.6 | 238.0 | Cook +23.6 pts |
| Points per game | 15.4 | 14.0 | |
| Value over replacement (VBD) | 128.1 | 104.5 | Cook +23.6 |
| Overall rank | #6 | #12 | Cook by 6 |
| Position rank | RB5 | RB8 | |
| Market ADP | 12.6 | 19.3 | Barkley +6.7 cheaper |
| Typical round (12-team) | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | |
| Bye week | 7 | 10 |
Should I draft James Cook or Saquon Barkley in 2026 fantasy football?
James Cook. He projects 261.6 fantasy points with 128.1 value over replacement, vs 238.0 points and 104.5 for Saquon Barkley (RB, PPR).