Dynasty fantasy football fans rejoice: Dalvin Cook has finally been released by the Minnesota Vikings.
Where he’ll land remains to be seen. But those who have been left behind in Minneapolis now hold significantly more value than they did yesterday. Let’s do our best to determine what the future might hold for the current Vikings RBs.
Alexander Mattison
What do we do now that one of the league’s best handcuffs is now the presumptive Vikings starter? If you’re anything like me, you’re looking to sell those shares you’ve been buying up on the cheap all winter.
But if you’ve missed the Alexander Mattison boat, not to worry. There’s still some time to get in on his upside. That time, however, is not now.
As we know, dynasty fantasy football is a market-based game. And it’s no time to be bullish immediately after news causes a sharp rise in the price of a commodity. Mattison’s value should be cheaper this offseason at some point, but right now I wouldn’t pay a 1st for his services.
Why not? For one, it’s very possible Minnesota elects to bring in a veteran back to fortify the position with the loss of Cook. Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, and even Kareem Hunt are still free agents looking for work. With aspirations high in an uninspiring NFC, the Vikings would be best served to add a proven vet to this largely unproven room.
With that said, I still believe Mattison can handle the job mostly on his own. If he’s given the keys to this backfield, he should be a high-end RB2 on the season. If a vet comes in or backup steps up, there’s still value to be had in Mattison as an RB3.
Just be wary of the price right now.
Ty Chandler
Chandler is an interesting piece of the backfield who can get some significant work if he’s relied upon as the number two option this season. A 5th round pick last year, Chandler wasn’t given much of a chance and mostly saw the field on special teams.
Technically, Chandler is the backup running back right now, but I’m skeptical he holds the job all season. The North Carolina (and Tennessee) product does boast 4.38 speed, but with limited usage last season and rookie DeWayne McBride nipping at his heels, he’ll be lucky to be more than just a rotational piece.
Maybe he earns a change of pace or 3rd down role in time, but that seems like wishful thinking. I’ll pass on Chandler as anything more than an end-of-bench flyer.
DeWayne McBride
7th round draft picks don’t exactly inspire confidence, but if anyone can come out of nowhere this season, it could be McBride.
Out of Alabama-Birmingham, the UAB stud back has seen the following per-game averages over the last 2 seasons:
18.25 carries
128.38 yards
1.33 touchdowns
In the NFL, those 18.8 fantasy points per game would be good enough for RB5.
Now there is no way this is a fair 1-for-1 comparison, but it’s at least interesting to note that McBride has a nose for the end zone and has produced at an elite level in college. This could be enough to move him past Chandler in short order and become the Vikings’ number 2 back. And, if that happens, he could become relevant in dynasty fantasy football as early as this season.
However, he’s just been selected in the 3rd round of your league’s rookie draft, so he’s not someone you’re going to be able to acquire on the cheap. Best to leave him where he is for now, especially since he has never displayed pass-catching chops in college. And if you don’t want to take my word for it, just see what our own Crazy Kirt had to say about him pre-draft.
Kene Nwangwu
Nwangwu has been relegated to special teams duties for the entirety of his 2-year career, earning just 27 total NFL touches over that span. It’s hard to see him sniffing relevance beyond leagues that award points for kick return yardage.
In incredibly deep leagues, I may take a shot on the injury upside of Nwangwu should he be forced into action. However, I don’t see him surpassing any of the names above him on the depth chart. Leave him on your wire.
Verdict
At the end of the day, I think it’s likely a vet comes in to steal meaningful touches away from this backfield. Unfortunately, the time to get in on Mattison in dynasty fantasy football was yesterday. He does have the opportunity though, if this backfield is left alone, to be a 2023 #leaguewinner.
If there’s one move to make, go grab Chandler off the wire and stash him just in case. But I wouldn’t spend more than $1 of my FAAB, and I wouldn’t be too disappointed if I was outbid.
Jeremy Shulman
Jeremy is an avid football fan from New York who lives in Amsterdam and roots for the Patriots. This walking contradiction has played fantasy football for over than 20 years. He is now a Senior Dynasty Writer at The League Winners. In his spare time, he writes and edits professionally.