Dalvin Cook-OTB

[Shaft]

Apparently, the Vikings have received an offer for Dalvin Cook. I'm assuming it's serious since multiple news outlets are reporting it. I think he would be a great fit with the Bills. That would be two brothers in the same backfield.

[League_Champion]

I'm told the Bills aren't a "running team" but I thinks he's s a good fit there. They definitely need an upgrade. 

[DMD]

My understanding is that Devin Singletary won't be brought back, so that frees up a spot. But the Bills really like James Cook and they've ranked #30 and #31 in RB carries for the last two years. That offense throws the ball more than runs. They had just 32% of their plays be an RB rushing attempt which was lower than all but TB. Plus Josh Allen takes up yards and scores as a runner. Dalvin wouldn't get as much work in that offense that has always been committee-ish.

[League_Champion]

1 minute ago, DMD said:

Plus Josh Allen takes up yards and scores as a runner.

I think they'd love to limit that. He's kinda been forced into that role, a dominant RB1 could change all that. 

[Finn5033]

That sucks, I’d hate to see him go

[6kings]

"I'd be surprised if he's not a Viking," Pelissero said. "He's got $2 million that becomes fully guaranteed next week. He's coming off shoulder surgery so that money's locked in already. I would anticipate that he's absolutely on the team."

Cook’s cap hit currently sits at $14.1 million. If the Vikings cut or trade him before June 1, they’d save roughly $8 million against the cap. If they wait until after June 1, they’d save about $9 million. With the Vikings currently about $15 million over the cap, that's a big number to digest without ditching it or restructuring his deal. 

Edited March 9, 2023 by 6kings

[darin3]

I don't think he's going anywhere.  Honestly, I don't think Mattison is anything but a part-time speller of Cook.  Mattison does not have the same wiggle.  Sure, Mattison had some good games in Cook's absence but I'd be shocked if he could do it for an entire season the way Cook does.

[purplemonster]

I'd let him go, I think it's downhill from here personally. He can still be effective periodically but I don't know if he has that dawg in him to do it every play, or if he has the ability to. Enjoyed him as a player though. 

[League_Champion]

1 hour ago, purplemonster said:

I'd let him go, I think it's downhill from here personally. He can still be effective periodically but I don't know if he has that dawg in him to do it every play, or if he has the ability to. Enjoyed him as a player though. 

I only watched a handful of Viking games last season but I thought Cook still had some juice left. Again, I didn't watch every game. 

[stevegrab]

18 hours ago, DMD said:

My understanding is that Devin Singletary won't be brought back, so that frees up a spot. But the Bills really like James Cook and they've ranked #30 and #31 in RB carries for the last two years. That offense throws the ball more than runs. They had just 32% of their plays be an RB rushing attempt which was lower than all but TB. Plus Josh Allen takes up yards and scores as a runner. Dalvin wouldn't get as much work in that offense that has always been committee-ish.

Yep, I don't get the talk of the Bills signing one of the top RBs, even older ones like Cook or Henry. Maybe they are looking to take some of that load off Allen, and a better back may allow it. Still seems like a passing focused team. 

[purplemonster]

4 hours ago, League_Champion said:

I only watched a handful of Viking games last season but I thought Cook still had some juice left. Again, I didn't watch every game. 

He still has some juice occasionally, and a true SB run would probably get him playing hard, so the Bills wouldn't be a bad fit that way. I just feel his best days are behind him 

[Shaft]

20 hours ago, DMD said:

My understanding is that Devin Singletary won't be brought back, so that frees up a spot. But the Bills really like James Cook and they've ranked #30 and #31 in RB carries for the last two years. That offense throws the ball more than runs. They had just 32% of their plays be an RB rushing attempt which was lower than all but TB. Plus Josh Allen takes up yards and scores as a runner. Dalvin wouldn't get as much work in that offense that has always been committee-ish.

 

1 hour ago, stevegrab said:

Yep, I don't get the talk of the Bills signing one of the top RBs, even older ones like Cook or Henry. Maybe they are looking to take some of that load off Allen, and a better back may allow it. Still seems like a passing focused team. 

These are valid points, but I think it's important to note that the Vikings ranked lower than the Bills in rushing attempts last year. I know this is slightly different than RB carries, but it shows that Cook than thrive in a passing first offense.

[stevegrab]

There continues to be talk about Cook possibly being released (around draft time) as well as potential to be traded. Either way most expect that makes Alexander Mattison their lead back. A news write up on the Huddle indicates Mattison  would be a RB2 with RB1 upside. Do others here agree with that? Would that make him a top 20 RB pick? 

I have him on my squad and thinking he might have some keeper potential come August. I'll need 5 total and so far only have one good RB (Jacobs) some good WR (Adams, Cooper, Pittman, Jeudy, Gallup). And probably won't be keeping Murray after his bad injury which will impact him greatly this season. 

[Gopher]

His value obviously goes up if Cook goes away.  That said, any time in the past when Cook has missed a game, and experts have just penciled in Mattison to put up "Cook-like" numbers, he's underwhelmed/disappointed.  He's a great #2 in an offense that needs a 1-2 punch in the backfield.  As the primary guy, though, he's left something to be desired (in small sample sizes, obviously).  

I guess all I'm saying is that I would temper expectations.  Will he be a decent fantasy back if Cook isn't around any longer?  I would say sure, based purely on quantity of snaps/touches.  Is he going to break out and go crazy?  I just don't see that.  Mattison has always been most effective in a time-share role, and whether Cook is around or not, I think the Vikings know that he's best used in small to medium doses.  Give him his 12-18 touches per game, and mix in Nwangwu or Chandler (or someone else) to keep Mattison fresh. 

Where does that put him in rankings?  Well, most teams now do a time-share of backs, and the Vikings still have one of the top offenses in the league.  Put it this way.... I definitely wouldn't want him as my #1 back in leagues that require one, much less two.  As a RB2-3, though, I'd be satisfied, if not excited, to have him on my roster. 

[Anonymouse]

1 hour ago, Gopher said:

value obviously goes up if Cook goes away.  That said, any time in the past when Cook has missed a game, and experts have just penciled in Mattison to put up "Cook-like" numbers, he's underwhelmed/disappointed.  He's a great #2 in an offense that needs a 1-2 punch in the backfield.  As the primary guy, though, he's left something to be desired (in small sample sizes, obviously

Sounds like this is the time to sell high?

[DMD]

If Cook leaves, the Vikings will pick up at least a rookie to compete for carries or one of the veterans that will be released. Mattison has utility and they gave him a 2-year deal for $7 million for this year and 2024. But nothing in the last four years says he capable of handing the same workload that Dalvin Cook had, let alone be as productive. I'm more concerned that MIN won't offer a RB with anywhere near the fantasy value that Cook did. The backfield is really undefined for now.

[Gopher]

3 hours ago, Anonymouse said:

Sounds like this is the time to sell high?

Depends on what you can get for him, and how bad you need the depth.  If you could use a serviceable RB2-3, I wouldn't trade him for peanuts. But, if you can get "starter" value or close, and can afford to let him go, then absolutely. 

[stevegrab]

13 hours ago, Gopher said:

Depends on what you can get for him, and how bad you need the depth.  If you could use a serviceable RB2-3, I wouldn't trade him for peanuts. But, if you can get "starter" value or close, and can afford to let him go, then absolutely. 

You also need to play in a league where people have interest in trading in the off-season. Our league is very inactive in the off season. On my team I need RB so he isn't worth trading because you're not getting a better RB in return. 

[Bobby Brown]

19 hours ago, Anonymouse said:

Sounds like this is the time to sell high?

That was 2 years ago.

 

 

[purplemonster]

Mattison is a fine fill in. I think he is best used as part of a rotation. He should get the lions share of carries but I would temper expectations as well. 

[Finn5033]

In the 6 games Mattison has started when Cook is out he has 693 scrimmage yards and 5 tds. Seems extremely solid to me. I think he will do quite well as a lead back.

[stevegrab]

12 hours ago, Finn5033 said:

In the 6 games Mattison has started when Cook is out he has 693 scrimmage yards and 5 tds. Seems extremely solid to me. I think he will do quite well as a lead back.

Yes that sounds pretty good. Looking at the individual game starts he had just one bad game (under 5 points in most leagues). I don't think anybody is expecting him to put up numbers like Cook, but if he gets the start, and there isn't somebody vulturing the TD and receiving chances he should produce nicely. 

2020 wk6 vs ATL 10-26-0, 1-4   << that's a stinker

2020 wk17 @DET 21-95-1, 3-50-1   HUGE GAME

2021 wk3 vs SEA 26-112-0, 6-59   no TDs but still very good

2021 wk5 vs DET 25-113-0  7-40-1  similar to last game but add a TD

2021 wk 13 @DET 22-90-1  3-34  very solid yardage, a TD and some rec

2021 wk16 vs LAR 13-41-1 3-29-0  lower yardage but still had a TD, 3 rec and 70 combined yards

 

[DMD]

Thing to note about those game stats was that he faced DET three times - ranked only #29 vs. RB in 2021 and #32 vs RB in 2020. ATL was No. 8 that year and shut him down. SEA was only ranked No. 31 against RBs in 2021. LAR was No. 14 and held him to 3.2 YPC and he was at home.

He was pretty fortunate in facing DET and SEA with their very bad defenses at the time.

[stevegrab]

7 hours ago, DMD said:

Thing to note about those game stats was that he faced DET three times - ranked only #29 vs. RB in 2021 and #32 vs RB in 2020. ATL was No. 8 that year and shut him down. SEA was only ranked No. 31 against RBs in 2021. LAR was No. 14 and held him to 3.2 YPC and he was at home.

He was pretty fortunate in facing DET and SEA with their very bad defenses at the time.

Good point, I did notice that several games were against DET and wondered if that was a part of the success. I see another game vs DET in 2020 where Cook & Mattison combined for 275 yards rushing. 

[Gopher]

In the games that mattered, he was a non-factor.  Maybe garbage time/games evened out the stats, but I recall 2-3 games (at least one in prime-time) where he was shut down completely. 

I'm not saying he's not an effective back.  But I just view him as more of a complimentary type of player. I think that's when he's at his best.