PFF: Damien Harris, not James Cook, is Bills’ top running back
Pro Football Focus has made the case that Damien Harris could be the best running back in the Buffalo Bills locker room.
The football analytics outlet ranked the top-32 rushers in the NFL. Only one from the Bills appears on the list and it’s Harris at the No. 24 position.
Here’s how PFF breaks down Harris’ game:
When healthy, Harris has been a productive and efficient player. He earned 86.1 and 86.8 rushing grades in 2020 and 2021, respectively. He also averaged more than 4.5 yards per carry during that time. He wasn’t able to hold off Rhamondre Stevenson on the Patriots’ depth chart (Harris’ hamstring injury in Week 5 didn’t help that), but Harris is still a top 32 back.
Harris signed a one-year deal in Buffalo this offseason. But because of James Cook’s status as a former second-round pick by the Bills, he’s going to get a clear look at being Buffalo’s top running back in 2023.
However, the team could very well go back to their tried-and-test method of splitting carries once again. Last season, Cook split time with Devin Singletary, who has since signed with the Houston Texans. In a situation with Harris, his built makes him a much different type of running back than the smaller Singletary and Cook. Harris and Cook could complement each other well.
Splitting time with Harris and Cook could be a storyline to watch once the Bills take the field for training camp at the end of July.
