Minnesota Vikings: Way-too-early 53-man roster projection

Running backs (4)

• Dalvin Cook
• C.J. Ham
• Alexander Mattison
• Kene Nwangwu

One of the most dynamic players in the NFL, Dalvin Cook is coming off a season that saw him rush for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns to go with 44 catches for 361 yards and one more score. He will look to make it three seasons in a row with over 1,600 yards from scrimmage.

Alexander Mattison will be locked in as Cook’s handcuff for the season by picking up some carries to give the star rusher some rest. He averages 4.6 yards per carry since entering the NFL and can be relied on to pick up yardage when his number is called.

While it might come down to a situation where it is either Ameer Abdullah or Kene Nwangwu that makes the team, special teams should make a spot available for both running backs to crack the roster. Having experience and youth could be a major benefit.

Finally, fullback C.J. Ham will be the lead blocker and a sneaky player to leak out of the backfield in the passing game. If the offensive line can be an upgrade from last year, it will allow the purple and gold to be creative with their blocker.