Dalvin Cook playing in a contract year and the fantasy football implications

Dalvin Cook will not have a new contract ahead of the upcoming NFL season.

We will have to wait until the next NFL offseason for Dalvin Cook to have a new contract to play on. It was reported on Wednesday the Minnesota Vikings tailback will elect to play on the final year of his rookie deal out of Florida State University, as the Vikings brass and Cook’s representation couldn’t reach an agreement on an extension. What are the fantasy implications?

The Fantasy Footballers aren’t the least bit surprised Minnesota and Cook’s camp couldn’t put together a new offer in time before the start of the 2020 campaign. However, this is actually a great thing for all parties involved. Here is what this means for Minnesota, Cook and your fantasy football team, should you end up drafting Cook as your bona fide RB1 this season.

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The reason this is good news for the Vikings is Cook will not be holding out this fall. He will play all 16 games for the NFC North contenders. With the global pandemic still a part of all of our lives, this will impact the 2021 NFL salary cap. This means the Vikings wouldn’t have to pay presumably as much as they would, all things equal, whether they franchise tag him or extend him next year.

Look for Dalvin Cook to have a monster season in his contract year.

As for Cook, this is good as well. Oftentimes when players hold out, it doesn’t end up working out for them. The player may not be able to train as hard as he would being in the team’s facilities. Production dips and he may not get anything close to the number he’s asking for. By playing in the final year of his rookie contract, this makes it more likely Cook may be back with the team in 2021.

Now, for your fantasy football team. Cook honoring the final year of his rookie deal is fantastic for you. By not missing any games out of the gate, he’ll be one of the first five running backs off the board. He could be the bell-cow capable of carrying your fantasy team all the way to the championship. All three parties (he, the Vikings and you) will want him to have a ton of carries.

Ultimately, the only downside here is if Cook gets hurt at some point this season. Football is a game of injuries, so this could totally happen. However, a healthy Cook will be a Pro Bowl-level player starring on what should be a playoff team in the NFC. If he performs up to lofty expectations, it will be to the benefit of anyone who has vested interest in his play this season.