What to do with the MN backfield?

[remedy29]

Here's the one hiccup...marketing banner notwithstanding.

Alexander Mattison has looked like crap the last two years.

That is all.

He sure has, except, everyone knows this. Despite people thinking he would leave in FA and get a starters role, nobody looked at him as a starter, Minnesota signed him to good backup RB money. He is a backup quality RB. He knows it, the league knows it, Minnesota knows it and most certainly Dalvin Cook and his agents know this.

This whole situation feels like a a complete negotiations act. Minnesota needs Cook, but they dont want to pay him 10.4 million and know nobody else will pay him that. The longer Minnesota holds onto him, the less money Cook will make elsewhere. Minnesota is also a good spot for Cook. So, I believe this situation will work out, with Cook remaining in Minnesota.

[Gazzerk]

Here's the one hiccup...marketing banner notwithstanding.

Alexander Mattison has looked like crap the last two years.

That is all.

He sure has, except, everyone knows this. Despite people thinking he would leave in FA and get a starters role, nobody looked at him as a starter, Minnesota signed him to good backup RB money. He is a backup quality RB. He knows it, the league knows it, Minnesota knows it and most certainly Dalvin Cook and his agents know this.

This whole situation feels like a a complete negotiations act. Minnesota needs Cook, but they dont want to pay him 10.4 million and know nobody else will pay him that. The longer Minnesota holds onto him, the less money Cook will make elsewhere. Minnesota is also a good spot for Cook. So, I believe this situation will work out, with Cook remaining in Minnesota.

I’m not sure where you guys see him looking like crap the last 2 years. In the last 2 seasons he has had less than 10 carries in all games except for 6. He produced as an RB1 in 4/6 of those games. He has done very well when given the chance. If Cook is gone and he gets volume then he is going to do very well. It would also make a ton of sense for them to shed the expensive aging back and ride a very solid cheaper option since they plan on leaning more on the passing game.

[moishetreats]

I’m not sure where you guys see him looking like the crap the last 2 years. In the last 2 seasons he has had less than 10 Carrie’s in all games except for 6. He produced as an RB1 in 4/6 of those games. He has done very well when given the chance. If Cook is gone and he gets volume then he is going to do very well. It would also make a ton of sense for them to shed the expensive aging back and ride a very solid cheaper option since they plan on leaning more on the passing game.

Mattison has started 6 games in his NFL career. Four have been great, two have been bad. Of the four that were great, three (!) came against the Lions. Almost doesn't count. And the fourth came in 2021 against a poor Seattle defense.

Obviously, those games count, too. And there is real value in a player who can produce against poor teams -- there are a lot of them in the NFL. But here's the real kicker: with such a small sample size, we can craft any narrative.

Bottom line: Mattison has been inconsistent. That creates a wide range of outcomes for him. Some of us might be optimistic, others neutral, and others pessimistic. But it's still a small and inconclusive sample size.

[killer_of_giants]

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason that Nwangwu is consistently being dismissed in favour of late round picks like Chandler & McBride?

nwangwu's vision is atrocious, it could actually improve if he put his helmet backwards and used the force, it's that bad.

if cook leaves, they're definitely picking up another RB, no way a team with playoffs ambitions will go into the season with a replacement level RB, two guys who couldn't break 30 rushes in 3 years combined and a 7th round rookie. i mean, they could go into the season like that, but i'm pretty sure they'll get someone at some point. if cook leaves, i'm selling mattison to the highest bidder within 24 hours.

about the banner, cook was actually replaced by mattison. he was there earlier. no idea if it means something tho.

[Cameron Giles]

Overall:

Mattison - Should be the guy, but isn't overly impressive.
Chandler - Somewhat intriguing for what he could be on passing downs
Nwangwu - Decent draft capital, but in two years has been a ST'er with no value as a receiver
McBride - Bad draft capital, doesn't catch passes, but highly productive as a two-down back in a small school

Like I said earlier, I don't like paying notable value for backfields like this, where you're mostly paying for the opportunity and not what the player actually is. If I owned Mattison, I'd be selling so fast.

[remedy29]

I’m not sure where you guys see him looking like the crap the last 2 years. In the last 2 seasons he has had less than 10 Carrie’s in all games except for 6. He produced as an RB1 in 4/6 of those games. He has done very well when given the chance. If Cook is gone and he gets volume then he is going to do very well. It would also make a ton of sense for them to shed the expensive aging back and ride a very solid cheaper option since they plan on leaning more on the passing game.

Mattison has started 6 games in his NFL career. Four have been great, two have been bad. Of the four that were great, three (!) came against the Lions. Almost doesn't count. And the fourth came in 2021 against a poor Seattle defense.

Obviously, those games count, too. And there is real value in a player who can produce against poor teams -- there are a lot of them in the NFL. But here's the real kicker: with such a small sample size, we can craft any narrative.

Bottom line: Mattison has been inconsistent. That creates a wide range of outcomes for him. Some of us might be optimistic, others neutral, and others pessimistic. But it's still a small and inconclusive sample size.

Hey now, Minnesota lost one of those games to the 3-13 Detroit Lions, a key play in the game, a fumble by Mattison. As far as resumes go, that game is not a positive for Mattison.

Its one thing to receive volume as a backup RB when the starter is out of the game. Its another thing to demand high volume over all other healthy RBs on the roster. Mattison does not have the talent to demand high volume. He barely played with an injured Dalvin Cook.

[hockeyBjj]

Seeing more smoke that it's looking like Minnesota will surprisingly keep Cook on a lesser contract. Not sure what that number would be, maybe 7 mil a year? 1 mil more than David Montgomery?

Interestingly even with all the chatter earlier that they were going to trade Cook, or have him be a post June 1st cut, they never actually gave Cook or his agent permission to talk to other teams to facilitate a trade agreement or contract re-work pre-emptively.

So if there is some negotiation of "play in Minnesota but not for 10 mil a year", Cook's side doesn't have any hard offers to compare to, or know if there's any team out there that would pick up his contract or even offer him 8 mil a year. They're just going off market rate of other contracts same as us.

[honcho55]

Gonna be interesting to see here.

I think it’s gonna be a true committee sooner rather than later regardless.

So, If you are looking at Cooks long term value, you are wanting him to leave minny somewhere good. Personally think he’s an excellent buy for a fantasy teams and pro team that’s contending the next 2-3 years.

If we are looking at Mattison, I think he will be a nice real NFL RB, but a mediocre fantasy option. Don’t want him in your RB2-3 slot on a contender. Depth guy? Very nice.

Chandler/Nwangu/McBride: these guys all have a good a chance as any NFL RB 3+ guys to have fantasy relevance imo. Take a swing, don’t pay much. I think Nwangu stays a ST and spell guy even in a committee. Chandler has shown some. McBride I think was an absolute steal in the 7th, but…. Still a 7th, so odds are what they are.

[FantasyFreak]

Seeing more smoke that it's looking like Minnesota will surprisingly keep Cook on a lesser contract. Not sure what that number would be, maybe 7 mil a year? 1 mil more than David Montgomery?

Interestingly even with all the chatter earlier that they were going to trade Cook, or have him be a post June 1st cut, they never actually gave Cook or his agent permission to talk to other teams to facilitate a trade agreement or contract re-work pre-emptively.

So if there is some negotiation of "play in Minnesota but not for 10 mil a year", Cook's side doesn't have any hard offers to compare to, or know if there's any team out there that would pick up his contract or even offer him 8 mil a year. They're just going off market rate of other contracts same as us.

They'll cut him, people will make all kinds of silly trades for Mattison, then a few days later, they'll announce Cook has re-signed on a 1 year deal with incentives.

[Valhalla]

Seeing more smoke that it's looking like Minnesota will surprisingly keep Cook on a lesser contract. Not sure what that number would be, maybe 7 mil a year? 1 mil more than David Montgomery?

Interestingly even with all the chatter earlier that they were going to trade Cook, or have him be a post June 1st cut, they never actually gave Cook or his agent permission to talk to other teams to facilitate a trade agreement or contract re-work pre-emptively.

So if there is some negotiation of "play in Minnesota but not for 10 mil a year", Cook's side doesn't have any hard offers to compare to, or know if there's any team out there that would pick up his contract or even offer him 8 mil a year. They're just going off market rate of other contracts same as us.

They'll cut him, people will make all kinds of silly trades for Mattison, then a few days later, they'll announce Cook has re-signed on a 1 year deal with incentives.

I could definitely see this scenario.

[ericanadian]

Reports are that Nwangwu is running with the ones (behind Mattison) and appears to be being given the first shot at the backup role. Can he hang on?

[j4pac]

Mattison feels like a trap. He’s going pretty early like people suspect he’s going to be their number one without competition

[Jigga94]

Mattison feels like a trap. He’s going pretty early like people suspect he’s going to be their number one without competition

I haven't looked at redraft ADP lately, but I was assuming by the time August rolls around he's going to be going way too high for my liking.

[ericanadian]

Mattison feels like a trap. He’s going pretty early like people suspect he’s going to be their number one without competition

There are way too many solid free agent options available to feel confident in a guy like Mattison to me. There’s even been talk that Cook might come back on a reduced salary.

[FantasyFreak]

Mattison feels like a trap. He’s going pretty early like people suspect he’s going to be their number one without competition

I mean, they had him for 4 years and paid him solid FA money, knowing they'd likely cut Dalvin post June. I think it was 4th most money in FA, but in most years, like the last 4 or 5 it would have been 2nd most (for a RB) It's always possible they get a vet cheap, but most of these guys are holding out for THEIR price, not the team's price.

I'm not buying at his inflated price, nor do I have him, but I think their plan is that he's their guy, unless they get a team friendly deal for someone else.