Head coach Kevin O'Connell referred to Cam Akers, acquired Sept. 20 via trade from the Rams, as complementing starter Alexander Mattison, who still dominated the playing time and workload with 98 yards from scrimmage. But O'Connell envisions a role for both.

"Seeing how [Akers] complements Alex," O'Connell said after the game, "when those guys can both stay fresh and be maximizing their opportunities, it was exciting to see that [Sunday]. ... Cam is always going to have real firm, solid finish [to runs] just like Alex does, where yards after contact should be a good number for him."

In his Vikings debut, Akers was effective with 51 yards on seven touches, the story pointed out. He flashed acceleration and power, while benefiting from the season's best blocking and perhaps the lightest competition to date, the story added. Akers had a three-down role, taking every snap in a 10-play drive in the second quarter. But as the story also said, Mattison still controlled most of the playing time and since the trade has carried 37 times for 188 yards (5.08 YPC) in two games, vs. the first two games where he ran 19 times for 62 yards.

The Vikings are planning to get newly acquired tailback Cam Akers involved in at least part of their game plan for their next game Sunday at the Carolina Panthers.

Related players: Alexander Mattison

The story was mainly about head coach Kevin O'Connell threatening to bench players because of turnovers. As the story said, Mattison fumbled twice against the Eagles in Week 2, and fumbled two more times in Week 3 - however he was ruled down on one and that his forward progress stopped on another. While Mattison produced better fantasy numbers, Akers looks to be a threat to some of his touches going forward. Also, Kirk Cousins threw an interception at the goal line and another in the end zone while TE T.J. Hockenson lost a fumble this past week.

The Vikings are waiving rookie seventh-round pick RB DeWayne McBride, per source.

Related players: Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu

Those taking McBride in dynasty leagues this spring were probably hoping for a role in the Vikings backfield after the team released Dalvin Cook. McBride actually had a good summer and scored two preseason TDs, according to the post. But the Vikes are poised to give the RB1 job to Mattison with Chandler emerging as the team's RB2.

From the outset, Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings staff are very committed to Alexander Mattison being the guy.

Related players: Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, DeWayne McBride

Silva's post quoted Connor Allen. Allen's post from a podcast went on to say that Mattison has also been active as a receiver. Mattison doesn't have much behind him on the depth chart either, and he's shaping up to be a make or break fantasy target at the RB spot. Our John Paulsen went on to break down Mattison's potential for 2023: With Dalvin Cook out of the way, Mattison has a great chance to finish as a fantasy RB1. In the 14 games that Mattison has seen at least 10 carries, he has averaged 18.1 touches for 88 yards and 0.57 touchdowns. The resulting 13.0 half-PPR points per game are about what Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones averaged as low-end RB1s in 2022. Even better–in his seven starts from 2020-21, he averaged 23.3 touches for 118 yards and 0.72 touchdowns per game. That production would have beaten out Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb last season.

Vikings are to officially release Dalvin Cook on Friday. One of the NFL’s most dynamic playmakers, Cook is coming off a fourth straight 1,000-yard season and has 52 career TDs. Now he’ll be a free agent at age 27 and will have multiple suitors.

Related Players: Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler

The move has been long-rumored, so this doesn't come as much surprise. According to talks throughout the offseason, Mattison should be expected to takeover the lead-back role, with Chandler acting as the team's No. 2.

Vikings OC Wes Phillips on whether second-year RB Ty Chandler is ready for an increased role: "I think he's going to have to be."

Chandler probably has the advantage in the competition for the presumptive No. 2 RB spot behind presumptive No. 1 RB Alexander Mattison.

Related Players: Dalvin Cook

Yet more smoke to the fire that is Dalvin Cook playing the 2023 season outside of Minnesota. We're past June 1st, so the news on Cook moving on is presumably right around the corner.

Per Kevin Seifert, "All that remains is for the Vikings to formalize Dalvin Cook's exit, a denouement that seems likely if not completely certain."

Related Players: Alexander Mattison

We've seen the Vikings allow Alexander Mattison to fill in as a 1v1 replacement for Cook in the past but fantasy managers often overlook how Mattison has been thoroughly inefficient with those opportunities over the last two seasons.

Nonetheless, rumors leading up to an eventual trade (hello, Dolphins) will continue to boost Mattison's stock until it finally shoots him up to where we should probably avoid him. At this time, Mattison's ADP is in the 7th round as the RB25.

The only change that has happened within the last few weeks is the Vikings’ addition of UAB running back DeWayne McBride in the seventh round of the draft.

While it’s easy to salivate over McBride’s early-down potential, his learning curve will be steep. Pass protection assignments will require study. The Vikings also have faith in Alexander Mattison, whom they re-signed in free agency, and Ty Chandler, whom the team drafted in 2022.

Dalvin Cook has dealt with injuries through most of his NFL career, including an offseason surgery to repair a shoulder injury. An interested team would have to take on his contract which currently makes him the fourth-highest paid RB I'm the league.

He is currently ranked outside of the top-12 RBs in 4for4's rankings.

Per Breer, "Another name to watch as a potential trade target this weekend would be Dalvin Cook. The Vikings have been communicative with their star tailback—and receptive to the idea of bringing him back—but it just won’t happen at the rate of $11 million he’s due this fall."

Related Players: Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu

Breer goes on to say that the Vikings haven't shopped Cook, but if they land a running back in the first two days, Cook could be gone by the weekend. In this scenario, they will likely land a talent superior to that of Alexander Mattison, which hurts his value just as much as it helps. A third-round RB in Minnesota would be an immediate fantasy asset.

Vikings RB Dalvin Cook was recently in Minnesota for a post-surgery checkup on his shoulder and is said to be making excellent progress, per sources. Cook played the last three seasons while protecting the injured shoulder, which is now 100% stable and stronger.

Related Players: Alexander Mattison

If Cook is still on the trading block, it will be in the best interests of both himself and the Vikings to pump the positive news about his oft-injured shoulder. The running back has the fourth-highest cap hit on a team that is just barely below the cap as it is. The team recently re-signed backfield-mate Alexander Mattison to a two-year, $7M contract that could give us an idea of their future plans.

Mattison has performed decently in Cook's absences in the past, but doesn't have the prerequisite skill to truly hold a bellcow role.