Alexander MattisonDalvin CookKene NwangwuMinnesota VikingsTy Chandler

How will uncertainty affect Vikings running backs?

By Anthony Licciardi

 

One of the more polarizing topics of NFL Free Agency is the contracts given to players based on projection, rather than production. No. 2 options in the passing game can find themselves overwhelmed when carrying the load of an offense. Small sample sizes get extrapolated and scrutinized. Regardless of the contract value or position, young players often want their chance at headlining a unit. For the Minnesota Vikings, that discourse has come a few months early.

 

Running back Alexander Mattison has made a name for himself as one of the best backup backs in the league. An infamous fantasy football handcuff to Dalvin Cook, Mattison has found more than 500 scrimmage yards in each of the first three years of his career. In 2021, he ran for 491 yards and scored three times on the ground, largely in Cook’s absence. 

 

It seems that Mattison wants to be “the guy” for a team and will find himself on the open market after the coming season. He’s been featured in trade talks during camp and has fans hypothesizing what a Mattison-led backfield looks like. But let’s not count our eggs before they hatch. Mattison is a Viking, and his uncertain future could change the outlook of the offense.

 

Will Mattison’s role change in Minnesota?

 

Long story short, Mattison won’t be usurping a starting role for himself. 

 

However, a new regime and coaching staff means a new offense has been implemented, inherently bringing about new opportunities. While his volume will only go as far as Cook’s medical records take him, Mattison could see a handful of packages built to put him in advantageous situations. It may help raise his stock, but those in the building understand he’s a known commodity at this point.

 

A few factors may limit his impact in 2022, though. Their names are Ty Chandler and Kene Nwangwu.

 

No longer is Mattison the young kid impressing the coaching staff at camp. Nwangwu and Chandler, a sophomore and rookie, respectively, offer skill sets complementary to Cook’s. 

 

There’s value in doing things Cook can’t do, rather than simply mirroring what he can. They’ll likely have distinct roles within the offense, albeit small.

 

From a betting perspective, Mattison’s potential trade doesn’t move many needles. If he is moved, which is possible given the flurry of teams that checked in, he likely won’t surpass whatever new prop is laid out for him. A best case scenario for Mattison does not provide the volume of a true workhorse.

 

Moreover, the Vikings offense should comfortably reside in the top half of the league. Despite the stable of backs behind him taking the scraps of snaps, Cook will maintain a firm grip on the backfield’s touches. Additionally, there isn’t enough of an incentive for Minnesota to up Mattison’s snap share.

 

The over on DraftKings’ -115 odds for Cook to clear 1,500.5 total yards is still a fairly safe play, regardless of the noise beneath him on the depth chart.

author
Anthony Licciardi
Sports Journalist
Anthony Licciardi is a long-suffering fan of the New York Mets, Jets, and Knicks. He aims to build a smarter generation of sports fans and writes to distract himself from the daily happenings of his favorite teams. In his spare time, he’s knee deep in Google Sheets looking for some statistical edge on coming betting action. With former bylines at Pro Football Network, Cowboys Wire, and Around The Block Network, Anthony has experience wri
Interests
NFLNBAMLBNew York KnicksNew York MetsNew York Jets
Posts at betbasics
160 Posts