Dalvin Cook has ascended up fantasy draft boards with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Cook is just 26 years old and has a work-horse role. While Cook has yet to play a complete season with the Vikings, his role is unquestioned. With Saquon Barkley still rehabbing a torn ACL and meniscus, Cook’s role rivals only Christian Mccaffrey at the top of fantasy football rankings and drafts for Yahoo, CBS and ESPN leagues.
Fantasy Football Player Previews: Dalvin Cook
Dalvin Cook’s Production Profile
Cook got off to a rocky start in the NFL. After notching 354 yards rushing, Cook tore his ACL just four games into his rookie season. The injuries continued with Cook in 2019 as well. In Week 2, Cook sustained a hamstring strain, causing him to miss five games. This caused Cook to finish with another mediocre 615 rushing yards. However, Cook began to display glimpses of his three-down potential with 40 receptions on 49 targets.
Moving forward to 2019, Cook finally lived up to his true potential. He recorded 1,135 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. He also added 53 receptions for another 519 yards. Cook followed up his breakout season with 1,557 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He added another 44 catches for 361 yards in the pass game, solidifying himself as one of the NFL’s elite three-down backs.
Check out Matt Gajewski’s breakdown of Dalvin Cook in the 2021 Fantasy Football rankings and draft cheat sheet for Yahoo, ESPN and CBS leagues.
Opportunity & Efficiency
From an opportunity perspective, Cook also showed an elite ceiling. He played on 70% of Minnesota’s snaps and handled 79.4% of their running back carries. In the pass game he also received 58% of the running back targets and a 13.1% target share. This amounted to an absurd 26.1 opportunities (carries plus targets) per game. This massive opportunity also extended into the red zone, where Cook handled 70% of the red zone carries.
As for efficiency, Cook also took a major step forward in 2020. The former Seminole posted 1,039 yards after contact, which trailed only Derrick Henry. Cook also forced 68 missed tackles, again behind only 2020’s rushing leader. With 13 carries going 15+ yards, Cook displayed the ability to create on his own with true breakaway potential.
2021 Fantasy Football Expectations
Minnesota has one of the friendliest offensive schemes for a running back in the NFL. With Gary Kubiak retiring as offensive coordinator, the Vikings promoted his son Klint Kubiak. He previously coached quarterbacks for the Vikings, and his father’s regime passed at the 27th-highest rate in 2020 (54.3%). While the offense ranked 19th in plays per game (63.9), the Vikings displayed a desire to run the ball under Kubiak and head coach Mike Zimmer.
The Vikings’ offseason also suggests an increased commitment to the run. Minnesota spent the 23rd overall pick in the NFL Draft on Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw. They then doubled down on Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis in the third round. After selecting Ezra Cleveland in the second last year and Garrett Bradbury with a first in 2019, the Vikings offensive line continues to improve. While they still have strides to make, continued investment bodes well for Cook moving forward.
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As for fantasy football, Cook is an elite work-horse back in an offense committed to the run. Minnesota has a win total of 8.5 across various sportsbooks. With Aaron Rodgers’ holdout looming large, Minnesota has a case as the top team in the NFC North. Cook is projected to play in favorable game scripts and sets up for another elite fantasy season. In best ball drafts on Underdog Fantasy, Cook has an ADP of 2.2, behind only McCaffrey. He presents a rock-solid option for those with the second overall pick.
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