James Cook or De'Von Achane: Who should I start in Fantasy Football Week 3?

James Cook and De'Von Achane are two running backs who present an interesting tradeoff in Week 3 of fantasy football. Cook and the Buffalo Bills go up against Achane and the Miami Dolphins in a divisional showdown on Thursday night.

Given the importance of running backs in fantasy football, it's vital to make informed decisions surrounding weekly matchups.

That said, let's explore Cook and Achane's matchups for this week to determine which back is the better starting option for your fantasy team in Week 3.

James Cook fantasy football Week 3 outlook

NFL: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets - Source: Imagn

Bills running back James Cook plays on a very efficient offense, which usually makes him a good fantasy starter. He's been particularly dangerous to start the season.

In Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, he totaled 44 rushing yards and one touchdown to go with 58 receiving yards. His numbers were good enough for an 18.70 fantasy score.

Week 2 versus the New York Jets saw him fly off the charts, as he recorded 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns to go with three receiving yards. It had him book a spectacular 26.00 fantasy points.

For their game against the Dolphins, he's expected to stay in a more realistic range of 15.11 points, per NFL.com. However, given that Miami ranks 27th in the NFL against opposing running backs, don't be surprised if Cook skyrockets again.

De'Von Achane fantasy football Week 3 outlook

De'Von Achane will have to be on top of his game on Thursday night if the Dolphins hope to keep up with a Bills team firing on all cylinders. Buffalo just beat the brakes off the Jets and will be looking to do the same to an 0-2 Dolphins squad.

However, Achane has been one of the rare few bright spots on the Dolphins. He has scored more than 15 fantasy points in each of Miami's losses so far.

His versatility makes him very useful, regardless of the game situation. Additionally, coach Mike McDaniel might lean on the star back against a Bills defense that ranks in the middle of the pack against the run.

Who should I start in Fantasy Football Week 3?

According to Sportskeeda's Who Should I Start? tool, De'Von Achane is projected to be the slightly better back. He is expected to record 17.0 fantasy points, while Cook is projected at 16.2.

Cook is expected to have a small edge on the ground, but Achane has proven to be a bigger threat through the air, where he holds a greater edge.

However, despite Achane being favored, the Bills are predicted to walk away with an easy win at home in primetime.