Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler both post solid numbers

The Vikings’ backfield got a whole lot more interesting on Sunday night. RB Alexander Mattison logged 18 carries for 81 rushing yards on 64.8% of the team’s offensive snaps vs. the Broncos. He saw a tremendous amount of work despite coming into the contest as a question mark due to sustaining a concussion in Week 10. As exciting as that is, his teammate Ty Chandler showed promise. The second-round back tallied 110 total yards on 14 touches, playing on just 31% of the Vikings’ snaps. It’s clear Chandler was the more efficient of the two, but it’s worth remembering that a decent amount of that production came on a fake punt, 31-yard run from him. Still, it’ll be worth it for fantasy managers to monitor both he and Mattison moving forward. Each player has room to thrive as the Vikings’ remaining schedule ranks as the third-easiest for RB matchups per our adjusted fantasy points allowed and will have a chance to prove who’s worthy of opportunity against a lately formidable Bears run defense in Week 12.

Raiders HC Antonio Pierce called newly signed RB Alexander Mattison and TE Harrison Bryant depth pieces. "We’re talking about guys that could come in and, at some point — don’t know when it’s gonna happen — but, give us that starter, that little jolt or juice that we can use," Pierce added. Bryant was never a legitimate threat to 2023 second-rounder Michael Mayer. The bigger takeaway here is that the Raiders evidently don't view Mattison as a competitor for the starting RB job. Mattison's play could change throughout the offseason, of course. And Vegas could still add a RB in the draft. But Zamir White's odds of opening the season as the starter continue to climb. He remains a solid value in early best-ball drafts. For more on White, check out 2024 Fantasy Football Breakouts.

The Vikings are releasing RB Alexander Mattison, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The move saves the team $3.35 million in 2024 cap space. Mattison opened last season as Minnesota's lead back but eventually lost that job to Ty Chandler. Mattison has failed to reach 4.0 yards per carry in three straight seasons now and is unlikely to find more than a No. 2 RB job on the open market. The Vikings, meanwhile, are a virtual lock to add to the backfield this offseason. The level of addition will tell us how strongly they feel about Chandler, who played well down the stretch last year. He's currently RB38 in Underdog ADP but figures to get pricier now. Chandler sits 31st among RBs in our best-ball rankings.

Vikings RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) is active for today’s game vs. the Lions. He only got in a limited practice on Friday and is expected to play well behind RB Ty Chandler today. Mattison isn’t a viable fantasy starter. Chandler remains a solid RB2 in the Week 16 Rankings.

Vikings RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) is expected to play vs. the Lions today, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Mattison got in just a limited practice on Friday and won't be at 100% today, Pelissero confirms. "Expect Minnesota to keep riding Ty Chandler," Pelissero adds. Mattison isn't a viable Week 16 fantasy play. His return puts just a slight dent in Chandler's Week 16 outlook.

Vikings RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) is listed as questionable for this weekend’s game vs. the Lions. He only got in a limited practice on Friday. Mattison won’t be a viable fantasy play if he ends up active on Sunday, but his return would put a slight dent in RB Ty Chandler’s projection.