Dalvin Cook - Fantasy Points Outlook

What You Need to Know:

• Cook sat out 4 games in 2021, upping his missed-games total to 13 over the past 4 seasons.
• He missed Week 3 with ankle injury. After playing hurt in Week 4, he sat out the following game with the same injury.
• Cook dislocated his shoulder and tore his labrum in Week 12. He missed only 1 game and returned to trounce Pittsburgh for 27-205-2 in a true stunner.
• Cook missed Week 16 on the COVID list.
• A lawsuit against Cook came out around mid-season, alleging abuse by a former girlfriend. He wasn’t suspended, but that possibility remains this offseason.
• With all of the turbulence, Cook ranked as an RB1 only 5 times. Scoring just 6 TDs -- following years with 13 and 17 — Cook ranked 11th in PPR PPG.
• Note that he played Week 17 (at Green Bay) without Kirk Cousins. With Sean Mannion under center, Cook managed just 13 yards on 9 carries in a blowout.
• Cook averaged 4.7 YPC, right in line with his career average.
• However, Cook finished with career-lows in PFF rushing grade (68.8) and Elusive Rating (51.9). His yards after contact per attempt was below his career average, too. But some of that could be traced to injuries.
• Now healthy, Cook will learn a new offense under HC Kevin O’Connell. After working under Rams HC Sean McVay, the expectation is we'll see a lot of 3-WR looks, pre-snap motion and a zone scheme that fits Cook’s talent.
• The Vikings’ O-line ranked 16th in PFF run blocking grade last year; 24th in Football Outsiders’ Adjusted Line Yards. They profile similarly in ’22.
• Alexander Mattison returns as Cook’s handcuff. He’s an interesting draft target if you haven’t landed Cook, particularly in best ball tournaments where you’re trying to maximizing upside.
• League-wide, Cook’s ranked 3rd among RBs in rushing yards since entering the league (2017). But at 27, with ~1,200 career touches and a history of knee, ankle and shoulder injuries, the cliff could come soon.

Draft Sharks Bottom Line

Cook enters the fall in a great spot for workhorse volume.

That’s nothing new for the FSU product, who’s hit 18+ touches 30 times over the past 3 seasons.

There's reason to be optimistic about his new staff, too. HC Kevin O’Connell projects as an upgrade to the unit both in offensive creativity and offensive pace.

Cook simply comes with elevated risk given his history of shoulder and lower-body injuries. The veteran hasn’t played more than 14 games in any season.

Currently projected to play 14 games, Cook’s profile screams high-risk, high-reward. As of this writing, his ADP is sitting at 1.08.