D’Onta Foreman – HB
2022 Team: Carolina Panthers
Another position with much uncertainty in Minnesota at the moment is at tailback, where Dalvin Cook is in line for a cap hit of more than $14 million in 2023, and Alexander Mattison is going to be a free agent.
There is no guarantee that either will return to the team in 2023, so someone like D’Onta Foreman is a cheap option should the team need a replacement.
Foreman enjoyed a career season with the Panthers in 2022 after Christian McCaffrey was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. Racking up 914 rushing yards with five touchdowns, Foreman’s first year as a bell cow back for an NFL team was a success.
Over The Cap has him valued at $2.4 million, which is very affordable for a starting caliber halfback should Cook not return.
Not a home run hitter, Foreman is large for a tailback, listed at 6-foot and 233 pounds, but he runs north-south between the tackles and excels in short yardage situations, something the Vikings weren’t particularly consistent at in 2022.
Other cheap free-agent running back options for Minnesota this year include Rashaad Penny, who appeared well on his way to a solid season in 2022 before a season-ending injury, and D’Ernest Johnson, who has been stuck behind both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt in Cleveland his entire career.