Training camp risers to target at the end of your fantasy football drafts
By Raju Byfield
Fantasy Football Camp Impact: Alexander Mattison (RB – MIN)
Already second on the Minnesota Vikings depth chart, Alexander Mattison is becoming a mainstay at the end of fantasy drafts. Favorably compared to former Viking Latavius Murray, Mattison is a hard hitting jump cut runner who has spot starter talent.
An instant RB2 in the Vikings offense if Dalvin Cook were to miss any games, Mattison could very well generate standalone value as a rookie. While he needs to continue refining his pass protection technique, he seems to have earned a role on third downs and as a breather back.
He is someone the Vikings turn to as a fill in as opposed to the change of pace element Ameer Abdullah or Mike Boone present. Mattison can enter the game and the Vikings will not have to alter their play calling at all.
Head coach Mike Zimmer has already opined that he thinks Mattison has a very bright future, and running back guru Gary Kubiak is sure to find ways to maximize the strengths of his talented rookie running back.
Mattison himself offered that he will not be used as a strict backup, but rather as a complement to Cook. Further increasing his rookie season fantasy ceiling, the Vikings are expected to utilize some two back sets.
Mattison appears to be a safe bet to see over 150 touches as a rookie. That number could be closer to 200 if the Vikings decide to play it safe with Cook when it comes to blowouts.
Mattison has the perfect build and skill set to be the team’s primary option in those situations. He is not a threat to unseat Cook as the starter, but he does threaten what could have been a workhorses workload.
The 56th running back off the board based on consensus ADP, Mattison looks all but certain to provide plus return on investment relative to his draft slot. Someone you can steal in the later rounds of your draft, Mattison has an every down skillset and is one of the top five handcuffs in the league.
Think of him as bench depth who can fill in during byes. He is also someone who could realize his flex2 upside sooner rather than later. Mattison saw his ADP peak at 10.12 following his preseason contest, but has settled back down as the 11.08. Be warned that another strong game or two could cause him to jump all the way to the ninth round.