Dalvin Cook

Fantasy Upside
Dalvin Cook rushed for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns on 312 carries (5.0 Y/A) in 14 games. He also caught 44-of-54 targets for 361 yards (8.2 Y/R) and one touchdown, finishing as RB1 in half-PPR points per game. Cook remains the focal point of a run-heavy Vikings offense. He projects to be among the league leaders in touches at the running back position. With the improvements on the Vikings offensive line, Cook should have more opportunities to remain as one of the most efficient running backs in the NFL. While it’s hard to see Cook eclipsing last season’s elite production, he definitely has the upside to repeat those numbers.

Fantasy Downside
Cook has missed at least two games in his last three seasons. Throughout his career, he’s played 43 out of a potential 64 games. This is a player who has dealt with injuries in the past. He’s also coming off a 357-touch season, so it remains to be seen if this type of workload is sustainable, especially considering his injury history. There’s definitely a chance that the Vikings opt to scale back his workload a bit just to ensure that he’s fresh throughout the season. At the same time, Cook is one of the most efficient runners in the NFL, so even if we see him total 300 touches instead of 350+, he should still remain an elite fantasy back.

Bottom Line
Cook is currently being drafted as RB2 (2.1 ADP) in Underdog fantasy leagues, so he comes at a premium price. This is an efficient runner locked into a high-volume role, playing behind an improved offensive line and upgraded defense which could result in more favorable game scripts. He’s one of the most valuable fantasy running backs in the NFL. The only downside with Cook is his injury history. The good news is that backup Alexander Mattison usually gets a large role whenever Cook misses time, so grabbing Mattison could be a nice insurance policy. Draft Cook with confidence.