Fantasy Football Outlook
After spending his first four seasons as the backup to Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison is primed to take over as the Vikings’ RB1 in 2023. Minnesota handed Mattison a two-year, seven-million dollar contract in free agency to remain with the team, then cut Cook in June. That left Mattison on the roster as the defacto starter. Mattison has quickly become a polarizing player this draft season. Let’s take a closer look to see what we can expect from his 2023 season.
2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
With Mattison set to take over the feature role, the real question is whether he is any good. According to Sharp Football, over the last two seasons among 74 running backs with 100+ rushing attempts, Mattison has ranked 68th in yards per carry, 45th in success rate, 43rd in explosive rush run rate, and 42nd in yards after contact per carry. These all suggest Mattison is a below-average player. In Mattison’s favor, these numbers haven’t hindered him in terms of fantasy production scoring over 16 fantasy points in five of six starts filling in for Cook.
Mattison doesn’t have much competition for touches with only seventh-round rookie DeWayne McBride, Ty Chandler, and Kene Nwangwu on the roster. Mattison’s position atop the depth chart seems relatively secure heading into the season.
The bottom line? There’s enough data to say that Mattison most likely is not an elite running back. Does this matter for fantasy football purposes? Not in the least. As long as Mattison is receiving consistent volume, he is going to be very fantasy relevant and deliver RB2 numbers. Should Mattison’s inefficiency become an issue, then he may not be a lock for consistent touches as the Vikings could experiment with other options.
Dynasty Outlook
If you ask your dynasty league-mates about Mattison, you’d be certain to split the room. Some think he is the next Michael Turner- a good player stuck as a backup. Others think he is a trap waiting to spring on drafters. For me, there is enough data to go ahead and say Mattison is probably a below-average back. Ultimately, this doesn’t matter because if the Vikings believe in him, they will feed him carries, and he’ll be a fine option.
If Mattison does not produce? Things might get dicey. While the Vikings did re-sign Mattison, a two-year, seven-million deal isn’t exactly a huge financial commitment. If they feel they can get more juice elsewhere on the roster, Mattison’s contract won’t be an issue. In leagues where I own Mattison, I have been shopping to see what kind of returns are out there. Most of my inquiries have ended with a door promptly being shut in my face. If you’ve got Mattison on your roster, odds are good you’re going to be tied to his outcome. Good or bad.
Trending Now
Fantasy Football Consultation
2023 Fantasy Football Rankings
Best Ways to Determine Your Fantasy Football Draft Order
Fantasy Football Team Names
Connect and Engage with the Show:
- Subscribe on YouTube
- Visit us on the Web
- Follow us on Facebook
- Follow on Twitter
- Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
- Follow on Instagram
- Subscribe on Google Podcasts
- Subscribe on Spotify
