This article is part of our Polarizing Players series.
Dalvin Cook has posted at least 1,380 scrimmage yards each of the last three years while averaging 12 touchdowns a year. He's locked in as a fantasy RB1 this season, but is he still worth a top-3 fantasy pick?
Upside
In 2020, Cook was nearly unstoppable. He rushed for at least 96 yards in nine of his last 12 games. He also scored 17 times. In addition, he posted at least 20 receiving yards in seven of his last 10 games. Although he didn't reach those numbers last season, he missed four games and might never have been at full strength. Even so, he rushed for at least 78 yards in eight of his last 10 games, including a 205-yard performance. Going into his age-27 season, Cook likely will continue to be the engine of the Vikings' offense. And after getting at least 25 touches in the last five games in which he played more than 28 snaps, he could continue to see elite volume this season. Between the potential for heavy volume and his recent production, he could lead running backs in scoring.
Downside
Aside from rushing for five yards per carry in 2020, Cook has been in the 4.5-4.7 range in every season since 2018; so 2020 might have been his career year. His receiving yardage also has fallen from 519 to 361 to 224 the last three years. Although it may have been due to varying injuries, Cook had a pedestrian 57th percentile broken-tackle rate and was
Dalvin Cook has posted at least 1,380 scrimmage yards each of the last three years while averaging 12 touchdowns a year. He's locked in as a fantasy RB1 this season, but is he still worth a top-3 fantasy pick?
Upside
In 2020, Cook was nearly unstoppable. He rushed for at least 96 yards in nine of his last 12 games. He also scored 17 times. In addition, he posted at least 20 receiving yards in seven of his last 10 games. Although he didn't reach those numbers last season, he missed four games and might never have been at full strength. Even so, he rushed for at least 78 yards in eight of his last 10 games, including a 205-yard performance. Going into his age-27 season, Cook likely will continue to be the engine of the Vikings' offense. And after getting at least 25 touches in the last five games in which he played more than 28 snaps, he could continue to see elite volume this season. Between the potential for heavy volume and his recent production, he could lead running backs in scoring.
Downside
Aside from rushing for five yards per carry in 2020, Cook has been in the 4.5-4.7 range in every season since 2018; so 2020 might have been his career year. His receiving yardage also has fallen from 519 to 361 to 224 the last three years. Although it may have been due to varying injuries, Cook had a pedestrian 57th percentile broken-tackle rate and was below average in yards after contact. Finally, with Kevin O'Connell taking over as head coach, the days of the Vikings being a run-first team could be over, and Cook might not continue to have elite volume. Should his work be scaled back, he could fall outside the top-6 running backs.
The Verdict
The Vikings committed big money to Cook, which could motivate them to continue using him on all three downs. Even in a down year in 2021, Cook provided a strong floor with ceiling potential in almost every game except the ones he left early or came back from injury. Even if Minnesota goes with a pass-heavy approach, Cook likely will see fewer stacked boxes, which would allow him more opportunities for big plays. There's little reason to shy away from taking him as high as the No. 2 pick in drafts, and there's certainly a strong case to keep him among the top-5 running backs.
