Sadly, Dalvin Cook has officially been released. For me personally, as a Vikings fan, it was kind of surreal. It reminded me of when Adrian Peterson was released. I just couldn’t believe it. I feel like the Vikings aren’t the same team anymore; the Vikings aren’t the Vikings without Dalvin Cook. He brought a different type of light to the team. He was bright, positive, and a leader. He was almost like the big brother of the team in a way. It is really sad to see such a talented individual go. One that I have watched for the past 6 seasons, not only growing as a player, but also as an individual. Dalvin will truly be missed by the Vikings and by the fans. However, when a door closes, a new one opens. That new door is Alexander Mattison.
When you mention Alexander Mattison to a Vikings fan, most will respond with, “I like him”. In his time with the Vikings, he has shown amazing flashes of a tough, hard-nosed back. His physicality reminds of Adrian Peterson in a way. He is strong, he can shed tackles with his strength, and he has trucked multiple people. I remember when Dalvin was injured a couple of seasons ago, Mattison filled in. When he took the RB1 spot temporarily, he was great. I remember he was the number one fantasy running back in waiver claims. He got more recognition than Dalvin did, which was wild. Although he had that wonderful stint, he eventually faded away from the spotlight once Dalvin returned. At the end of the day though, Vikings fans have a very strong appreciation for Mattison; he hasn’t complained, he has worked his butt off, and he is just an overall great guy. For some, that’s enough, for others, there is a concern about production. Will he produce?
I think that Mattison will produce just fine. He has shown (with a bad o-line) that he can produce a 100 yard rushing game. Sure, he isn’t nearly as explosive as Dalvin was, but he has more strength than Dalvin, and is more of a downhill runner. I see Mattison as a 70 rush yards a game type of back. Just because the Vikings are more of a passing offense now, and Dalvin was barely used in that. If anything, I see Mattison getting maybe 12-15 carries a game max. I also don’t see him as a receiving back at all. I see Ty Chandler as more of a receiving back than Mattison. In the end though, I think his production won’t be bad, I think it will be, at least, above average. I see a bright future for Alexander Mattison, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a nice contract in the future.
