The Bills and Jets enter "Monday Night Football" approaching desperation mode. Each is coming off back-to-back losses, and the AFC East battle could be the difference between first place and panic.
Buffalo will be undermanned in one key area on Monday. RB James Cook is inactive after entering the day as "questionable" with a toe injury, leaving the Bills' rushing attack without its top weapon against a Jets run defense that has underperformed at times this season.
Cook has been a central piece of the Bills' offense since Joe Brady took over play-calling duties in the middle of last season, and the loss of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis this past offseason forced Brady to lean more on the running game. That facet of the offense will be led by someone different against the Jets.
Here's a look at the Bills' running back depth chart and who's next up behind Cook.
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Who is James Cook's backup?
Cook's backup to this point has been fourth-round rookie Ray Davis, as Davis has received the bulk of carries compared to veteran Ty Johnson this season.
Davis is a smaller, more bruising type of running back at just 5-8. That made him ideal for short-yardage situations, but his efficiency has lagged behind with only 2.9 yards per carry through five NFL games.
While Davis, not Johnson, has been used in those situations, Johnson could see plenty of action on Monday until Davis proves he's capable of being an early-down back. Johnson has never topped 300 rushing yards in any of his six NFL seasons but is averaging a solid 4.4 yards per carry over 248 career rushing attempts.
WEEK 7 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers
Bills RB depth chart
| RB | Player |
| 1 | James Cook* |
| 2 | Ray Davis |
| 3 | Ty Johnson |
* — Out vs. Jets with toe injury.
1. James Cook
Cook has been the Bills' lead running back since Devin Singletary left Buffalo in 2023, and he thrived under Brady late last season to the tune of 616 yards over his final eight games.
While his efficiency is down slightly, Cook has gotten off to a respectable start this season with 309 yards and four touchdowns on 4.4 yards per carry through five games. Monday is the first missed game of Cook's three-year career.
2. Ray Davis
Davis has been the change-of-pace back behind Cook this season, averaging 2.9 yards per carry on 26 attempts.
The rookie was selected with the No. 128 pick out of Kentucky in April's draft. He ran for a career-high 1,129 yards and 14 touchdowns in his lone season with the Wildcats and posted another 1,000-yard season at Vanderbilt in 2022.
Davis is a smaller, different type of running back, so it's possible he remains a change-of-pace back while Johnson sees the largest uptick in usage with Cook out.
MORE: Why Sean McDermott isn't on hot seat despite back-to-back losses
3. Ty Johnson
Johnson has played sparingly in 2024, receiving only 10 carries, but that's set to change one way or another on Monday night.
The sixth-year RB from Maryland previously spent time with the Lions and Jets but hasn't gotten the opportunity to be a full-time No. 1 in any team's backfield. That won't be the case in Buffalo, either, as Cook's injury is believed to be a short-term issue, but Johnson could get a chance to show what he can do against the Jets. At the very least, he'll play on the majority of passing downs and offer value in that role.
