Minnesota Vikings 2018 Review: Grading the offense
By Chris Schad
Running Backs
Running back is another position that was difficult to decipher in 2018. After Dalvin Cook got off to a white-hot start in his rookie season, the big question was whether or not he would be ready to go after tearing his ACL after four games in 2017.
Initially, Cook looked the part of a dual-threat running back. While he couldn’t find holes in the offensive line early, he turned it on after returning from a hamstring injury in Week 9.
At the end of the season, Cook’s yards per carry (4.6) were almost on par with his rookie season total (4.8) and he became a favorite target for Kirk Cousins with 40 receptions for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
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While those numbers were nice, the main worry with Cook was with his availability and the Vikings struggled to carry the load without their electric starter out of the fold.
Backup Latavius Murray did his best to keep the Vikings afloat including a 155-yard performance against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, but he averaged just 3.31 yards per carry in his final 8 games.
Heading into 2019, it will be intriguing to see if Minnesota brings Murray back or they turn over the backup job to either Mike Boone or midseason pickup Ameer Abdullah. What would even be nicer is if that decision wasn’t as important with Cook staying on the field.