Vikings Beat: Jerick McKinnon will be 'given a chance to settle in' as the RB1
While head coach Mike Zimmer said yesterday that he wants Matt Asiata to remain involved in the running game, it looks as if Jerick McKinnon, who has quickly climbed atop the depth chart, will be given an chance to settle in as the starter.
“[It has been] a whirlwind,” McKinnon said after today’s morning walkthrough. “Everything happened so fast. I think I prepare myself to be ready for whatever happens. There has definitely been a lot thrown my way, just from a rookie standpoint, going through a whole bunch of different things. But I think it’s helped me in my progression to become a better NFL running back.”
McKinnon rushed for 40 yards on 11 carries against a formidable Lions defensive front in his first start and caught a team-high six passes for 42 yards. His 5.0 yards-per-carry average is inflated by his performance against the Falcons, but McKinnon has brought the threat of explosive plays back to the backfield, something that has been lacking since Peterson was shut down indefinitely.
Asiata will probably see more work than he did in Week 6, but we're still expecting McKinnon to get most of the touches, which makes him an intriguing RB2 type, especially in PPR formats.
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