Vikings reveal which RB will be replacing Cam Akers on the field

Now without Cam Akers for the remainder of the 2023 season after he tore his Achilles in Week 9, who will emerge as the No. 2 running back for the Minnesota Vikings?

In the middle of an improbable win over the Atlanta Falcons this past Sunday, the victory was a little bittersweet for the Minnesota Vikings, as running back Cam Akers was lost for the rest of the 2023 season after tearing his Achilles during the Week 9 matchup.

After he was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams earlier this year, Akers had really begun to find a good fit in the Vikings' offense as a change-of-pace back who had the potential to create a big play anytime the ball was in his hands.

Unfortunately, his role in Minnesota's offense now has to be replaced by either a current running back on the team's roster or someone from the outside who is still in need of a team to play for with nine weeks left in the 2023 regular season.

Minnesota Vikings reveal Ty Chandler will see an increase in touches after Cam Akers injury

As Vikings fans continue to wonder how the team will go about replacing Akers, Minnesota offensive coordinator Wes Phillips revealed during his weekly press conference on Tuesday that second-year running back Ty Chandler is going to get more opportunities out on the field moving forward.

After averaging 10 snaps per game in the first three weeks of the season, Chandler has only been on the field with the offense for a total of four snaps in the Vikings' last three matchups.

So it's not too surprising to find out that he's only accumulated a total of 13 touches this year (eight rushing attempts, five catches). However, he has averaged 6.5 yards each time he's had the ball in his hands this season, so perhaps more chances for Chandler could lead to good things for Minnesota.

Still, given his lack of usage during the last few weeks, it will be interesting to see how short of a leash the Vikings give Chandler before they decide to give someone else a chance.

Hopefully, Chandler, Minnesota's fifth-round pick in 2022, can just make the most of his increase in touches this season, and the team won't have to worry about replacing him.

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