Sep 11, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (4) runs with the ball against the Green Bay Packers in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
When it comes to fantasy football, the running back is an oh-so-precious commodity in today’s day and age, but this year in particular where more popular players have underperformed and are triggering a sense of panic.
If you own Dalvin Cook, you might be on this boat. Cook was a consensus top-10 pick in this year’s fantasy drafts, with the idea that he would retain and expand on his RB1 role with the Minnesota Vikings. Through a month of play, Cook currently averages 11.4 fantasy points per game in PPR models with a 62% snap share last week. The snap count may look alarming when his teammate Alexander Mattison saw an uptick in volume, while also scoring a touchdown in London against the New Orleans Saints. However, Cook owners should feel a sense of relief as the star running back was battling a shoulder injury all week. Despite the injury designation, Cook complied 22 touches in Week 4. In week 3, he ran for 96 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries even with missing the entirety of the fourth quarter.
For the past three years, Cook has averaged at least 15.9 points in PPR with a 13.3 mark in standard leagues. Fast forward a year and Cook is just fantasy’s RB24 through four weeks of action. Despite this, his track record speaks for itself. He’s been an RB1 his entire career averaging a robust 17.1 points per game in PPR formats.
Fantasy Football is all about opportunity, and Dalvin Cook is an opportunity for people who can snag him for cheap. Cook’s utilization still suggests better days are ahead. Buy the dip; buy Dalvin Cook.
