James Cook or Isiah Pacheco Week 15 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Fantasy football projections for RBs

James Cook and Isiah Pacheco - two running backs began with the same expectations, have been on different trajectories. One has continued to be a dominant force for a team thought to be rebuilding, while the other got injured early on and is looking to regain his form.

Which of them is a fantasy manager's better choice to start? Let's find out:

Is James Cook a good fantasy pick in Week 15?

NFL: DEC 08 Bills at Rams - Source: Getty

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If James Cook is asked, he would rather the Buffalo Bills' 44-42 loss at the Los Angeles Rams never happened. It was his worst outing so far - just 4.9 points after covering a measly 20 yards - a rare stinker that dropped to him to RB22 in Sportskeeda's weekly fantasy rankings.

It doesn't get any easier for him - the Detroit Lions trail only the Kansas City Chiefs when it comes to containing running backs - having averaged 16.51 points allowed despite season-ending injuries to Aidan Hutchinsion and Malcolm Rodriguez.

Is Isiah Pacheco a good fantasy pick in Week 15?

Los Angeles Chargers v Kansas City Chiefs - Source: Getty

Isiah Pacheco will need a while before regaining his top form. He broke his leg two games into the season and didn't return until Week 13.

Since then, he has failed to hit double digit points, although the Chiefs have won these games, thanks to their defense and special teams. However, if he's hoping for his first double-digit performance since Week 2, he will have to fight for it.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns, despite being out of playoff contention, have a seventh-ranked anti-RB defense that's one of seven to allow under 20 points on average. So the expectation is for Andy Reid and Matt Nagy to pass the ball and exploit the 24th-ranked WR and TE defenses, limiting Pacheco's handoffs.

Whom should I start between James Cook and Isiah Pacheco?

There's no doubt about whom Sportskeeda's Start/Sit tool recommends. Cook is the better choice, as he has played all but one game and started all of them, putting up strong stats.

On the other side, Pacheco has had to watch as Kareem Hunt writes his redemption story after off-field issues had ended his first stint in Missouri early. But 2025 looks to be a more promising year for him.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

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Edited by Bhargav