Fantasy Football Impact: Dalvin Cook Holdout

With Dalvin Cook threatening to hold out, where should you draft him and Alexander Mattison in fantasy drafts?

The Vikings and fantasy football players could have a big problem on their hands. Star running back Dalvin Cook informed the team he will not participate in any team activities until he receives a new contract. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cook is prepared to holdout until the two sides agree on an extension. The fourth-year rusher is entering the final year of his current contract.

In 2019 Cook finished the year as the sixth running back in PPR formats thanks to 1,135 yards on the ground, 13 touchdowns, 52 catches and 519 yards. That amounted to 21.2 points per game in PPR.

His current ADP in PPR formats is the third running back off boards behind Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley and fourth overall after Michael Thomas. But now that he’s holding out, if this lasts into late August, he’ll probably fall to the late second round.

Cook played in 29 out of a potential 48 games in three years. The Vikings may have some concern about signing him to a new deal given his injury history.

Even without Cook holding out Alexander Mattison was likely the top handcuff heading into 2020. His ADP is the 124th player off the board and 45th running back. Mattison handled 100 carries as a rookie but never had a game of more than 14 and averaged a healthy 4.6 yards per carry. If we have a Le’Veon Bell situation where Cook holds out the whole year, Mattison will likely end up as a Top 10 running back, same as James Conner did in 2018. 

It’s a risk/reward drafting Cook and Mattison. Roll the dice, stand your ground and draft Cook in the first and hope he doesn’t miss time due to a holdout and fantasy players start their team with a running back stud. Draft Mattison in the fourth thinking Cook has a lengthy holdout and it might end up being a complete waste if Cook comes back or the best pick in your entire league if Cook doesn’t play in 2020.

This could end up being the biggest fantasy football conundrum of 2020.