NFL Rankings: Bills' Cook and Davis Placed Ninth in Backfield Duos

CBS Sports has ranked the Buffalo Bills’ running back duo of James Cook and Ray Davis as the ninth-best in the National Football League heading into the 2026 season. The assessment places the Bills behind four other teams in the top tier of the list, specifically the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, and New England Patriots.

James Cook enters the new campaign following a statistically significant previous season. He recorded a career-high 1,621 rushing yards on 309 carries, alongside 12 touchdowns. In the passing game, Cook added 33 receptions for 291 yards and two receiving touchdowns. His involvement on the field also reached a peak, with a career-high 56% snap rate.

The top four positions on the CBS Sports list are occupied by Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. of the Atlanta Falcons, Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco of the Detroit Lions, Derrick Henry and Justice Hill of the Baltimore Ravens, and Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson of the New England Patriots. The Patriots are the only AFC East team ranked above Buffalo in the top four.

While Cook led the backfield in usage, Ty Johnson played more snaps than Ray Davis during the previous season. However, the analysis notes that Davis’s underlying metrics, including success rate and yards gained before and after contact, showed improvement. The report suggests that Davis may assume a larger role in the upcoming season, potentially influenced by changes in the coaching structure.

The article references a potential transition under a new head coach, contrasting with the current leadership of Sean McDermott. Joe Brady served as offensive coordinator last season, but the piece indicates that personnel and role distributions could shift as the team moves into the 2026 season. The ranking reflects CBS Sports’ editorial methodology rather than official NFL statistics.