Dalvin Cook will be a pivotal figure in fantasy drafts this summer. On the one hand, he had a pretty small sample set of productivity before landing on IR with a torn ACL. But on the other hand, it was a really productive handful of games, and reports on his rehab are positive.
Tom Pelissero of the Star-Tribune reported yesterday that Mike Zimmer is "excited" about where Cook is in his rehab. Says he thinks he'll get some work in at OTAs, although be limited in training camp.
In May, every player coming off injury seems to be ahead of schedule. But Minnesota let Jerick McKinnon go and didn't add anyone of note in free agency or the draft. Those who select Cook could protect the pick with a late-round selection of Latavius Murray.
In Cook's four starts a year ago, he was awfully productive. Sifting through our files, I pulled out all the running backs who started at least four games, like Cook, but no more than 12 (to leave out the full-year guys like Gurley, Bell, etc.). Of those 27 players, few were more impressive than Cook.
| 2017 RUNNING BACKS, YARDS PER START (4-12 GAMES) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | St | Run | Rec | Total | Y/St |
| Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 10 | 983 | 269 | 1252 | 125 |
| Kenyan Drake, Mia. | 5 | 444 | 150 | 594 | 119 |
| Dalvin Cook, Minn. | 4 | 354 | 90 | 444 | 111 |
| Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 7 | 455 | 217 | 672 | 96 |
| Peyton Barber, T.B. | 4 | 277 | 78 | 355 | 89 |
| Dion Lewis, N.E. | 11 | 797 | 172 | 969 | 88 |
| Adrian Peterson, Ariz. | 6 | 448 | 66 | 514 | 86 |
| Samaje Perine, Wash. | 7 | 428 | 127 | 555 | 79 |
| Kerwynn Williams, Ariz. | 5 | 357 | 35 | 392 | 78 |
| Alfred Morris, Dall. | 6 | 430 | 36 | 466 | 78 |
| Jerick McKinnon (C), Minn. | 12 | 544 | 381 | 925 | 77 |
| Jay Ajayi, Mia. | 7 | 465 | 67 | 532 | 76 |
| Latavius Murray, Minn. | 12 | 804 | 95 | 899 | 75 |
| Aaron Jones, G.B. | 4 | 280 | 15 | 295 | 74 |
| Orleans Darkwa, NYG | 11 | 688 | 103 | 791 | 72 |
| Jay Ajayi (C), Phil. | 7 | 408 | 91 | 499 | 71 |
| Chris Carson, Sea. | 4 | 208 | 59 | 267 | 67 |
| Ty Montgomery, G.B. | 5 | 180 | 132 | 312 | 62 |
| Mike Davis, Sea. | 6 | 240 | 131 | 371 | 62 |
| Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 11 | 505 | 133 | 638 | 58 |
| Matt Forte (C), NYJ | 12 | 381 | 293 | 674 | 56 |
| Doug Martin, T.B. | 9 | 402 | 84 | 486 | 54 |
| Rex Burkhead (C), N.E. | 10 | 264 | 254 | 518 | 52 |
| Mike Gillislee, N.E. | 5 | 246 | 0 | 246 | 49 |
| Robert Kelley, Wash. | 7 | 194 | 18 | 212 | 30 |
| Paul Perkins, NYG | 4 | 61 | 35 | 96 | 24 |
| Jeremy Hill (C), Cin. | 7 | 116 | 16 | 132 | 19 |
Some of those players are flagged as committee backs, but most were full-time players after gaining the job during the season -- or before losing it -- at some point or another. Ezekiel Elliott and Kenyan Drake; those are the qualifying players who put up more yards than Cook did.
Couple of other interesting guys who show well here are Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay's starter down the stretch, and Jamaal Williams. Two players who will come much cheaper in drafts than Cook, no doubt, but also might be very valuable during the season, if they can hold off their competition on their respective teams.
--Andy Richardson