Week 2 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Dalvin Cook showed off in his rookie debut, rushing for 127 yards on 22 carries. He also added 3 catches for 10 yards on 5 receptions. One thing was made clear from the first week: Cook is the main rusher in this offense and he doesn't have much competition. His 22 carries placed third among all rushers in Week 1.
We expect Cook to continue to get touches, which means he should have a good game this week against the Steelers. Pittsburgh was tough against the run in Week 1, but a single game sample size is hard to go off of. We trust Cook's touches and believe he's a low-end RB1 or strong RB2 play this week.
Week 1 vs. New Orleans Saints
Dalvin Cook draws the start for Minnesota in Week 1, his first ever in the NFL. The promising rookie draws a favorable matchup against the Saints as New Orleans allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing backs in 2016.
We expect Cook to make most of his impact on the ground, but he showed in the preseason he can be a weapon in the passing game as well. We predict a strong debut for Cook in a great matchup. View him as a low-end RB1 this week.
Fantasy Upside
Dalvin Cook is set to take over the starting role left by Adrian Peterson. He was a monster at Florida State as a dual-threat back, eclipsing 1,200 total yards in each of his three collegiate seasons. He was most impressive in his final, junior year, totaling 2,253 yards with 20 offensive touchdowns. He finished FSU averaging 6.5 yards per carry and 11.8 yards per reception.
He now takes his talents to a run-friendly Vikings team in need of a playmaking back. He gets some help from a revamped offensive line, and coaches have praised him in camp. One beat writer said it wouldn't be a surprise to see Cook total 300 touches in his first year.
Fantasy Downside
While Cook is listed as the starter, we have to wonder what kind of role Latavius Murray will play. Murray isn’t a scrub, and the Vikings may feel more comfortable with a veteran on the field in certain points rather than a rookie. Also, the offensive line is improved from a year ago, but it’s still not much to get excited about. The group is also all mostly new faces, so it could take some time for them to gel.
2017 Bottom Line
Cook will be the starting back in a run-favorite offense, which automatically makes him an appealing player. He’s a very talented rusher who can do plenty of damage as a receiver if he can’t find holes on the ground. Cook should be one of the top performing rookies from this year’s class and is expected to go somewhere in the fourth or fifth rounds of redraft leagues.
