What can the Vikings expect from Alexander Mattison in 2020?
By Dean Jones
Mattison’s rookie season
After racking up 1,415 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns during his final season at Boise State, Alexander Mattison faced a tough task of making the transition to the NFL.
The player silenced his doubters at the earliest opportunity to become a very influential part of the Minnesota Vikings’ roster. Mattison backed up Dalvin Cook exceptionally well and picked up the load late on in the season when the Pro Bowler was dealing with a series of injury problems.
Mattison’s fierce style of running and ability to penetrate to the second level made him an instant hit with Minnesota’s fanbase. The played carried the ball 100 times during the regular season on his way to 462 yards and a touchdown.
His 4.6 yards per attempt average was very respectable. Mattison also proved a useful member of the short-down passing game, catching ten of 12 targets for 82 yards. He was on the field for 19 percent of the team’s offensive snaps and played in 13 games.
Mattison carried the ball more than ten times in four regular-season games, topping 40 yards in each contest. He also gained some playoff experience, recording six carries for 23 yards on a 3.8 average.
All this is extremely encouraging for both Mattison and the Vikings. They now have a very dependable No.2 option at running back and shouldn’t lose too much momentum if Cook goes down with a long-term injury.