Positional Finish: RB24 | Projected Finish: RB29
I get it. It's the middle of the summer, there's nothing going on, we all get a little rookie crazy. Time to put an end to that.
Yes, the Minnesota Vikings drafted Dalvin Cook in the second round of the NFL draft. They also signed Latavius Murray to a contract that averages the eighth-most salary per year for running backs not on their rookie contract. It's premature to expect Cook to dominate the Vikings' backfield.
Murray is working back from injury, which helps Cook, but Cook also has to learn the intricacies of the NFL game. Once he's healthy, Murray should command a meaningful amount of work.
Here are the 2016 Rushing NEP per carry leaders for RBs with 150 or more attempts.
| Player | Rushes | Rushing NEP Per Carry | Success Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lesean McCoy | 234 | 0.16 | 45.73% |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 321 | 0.11 | 47.04% |
| Devonta Freeman | 227 | 0.10 | 46.26% |
| Jay Ajayi | 260 | 0.08 | 43.46% |
| Le'Veon Bell | 261 | 0.07 | 44.83% |
| Mark Ingram | 205 | 0.06 | 45.85% |
| Jordan Howard | 251 | 0.06 | 44.22% |
| Latavius Murray | 195 | 0.04 | 40.51% |
| DeMarco Murray | 293 | 0.02 | 44.03% |
| Jeremy Hill | 222 | 0.02 | 39.19% |
Murray also finished eighth in that cohort in Reception Success Rate. He's a legitimate NFL workhorse, and he reportedly has an inside track on touchdown opportunities. Cook will be hard pressed to earn an even split of the workload.
Cook is a great prospect and a great draft target in dynasty rookie drafts. In redraft leagues, his ceiling is capped.
Instead Try
Same as last time. Mark Ingram and Tevin Coleman are cheaper and have better projections. Heck, we even like Eddie Lacy more than Cook.