Dalvin Cook – RB
Please make no mistake, Dalvin Cook is a player with the world at his feet. The running back took another substantial leap forward in production last season, almost reaching 2,000 all-purpose yards to firmly establish himself as one of the NFL’s best at the position.
This could be just the start for Cook.
But it might be the best production the Vikings get from a numbers standpoint.
The former Florida State sensation is still going to carry a big load for the Vikings moving forward. Potentially for the duration of the big-money contract signed by the player last year.
However, if Minnesota wants some bang for their buck over the next few seasons, then they’ll need to handle Cook’s carries with caution. One only has to look at the injury problems suffered by Christian McCaffrey on the Carolina Panthers in 2020 to see where things can go wrong.
There is also an extra game on Minnesota’s schedule next season, which is another hugely impactful situation that shouldn’t be ignored.
As long as Cook remains fit and productive, the Vikings should be right in the thick of things in 2021 after leaving themselves too much to do in pursuit of making the postseason last time around. But in terms of numbers, the player might have peaked ever so slightly.