Although the Vikings had planned for Dalvin Cook to miss two games due to a labrum tear and shoulder dislocation, the Pro Bowl running back has a decent chance of being in uniform Thursday night.
Cook has progressed to the point where he is trending toward playing, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes, adding that the fifth-year back took first-team reps and has regained his range of motion (Twitter links). Cook has already passed necessary tests to make a return, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets, and will play barring a pregame setback.
This would obviously be big news for a Vikings team clinging to wild-card hopes. Minnesota’s loss in Detroit bumped the team down to 5-7, and the Vikings will already be without Adam Thielen tonight. The team ruled out the veteran wide receiver, who is battling a high ankle sprain.
A quick Cook return also serves as interesting due to the Vikes’ schedule. Were Minnesota to give Cook another week, he would have 11 more days to recover. The Vikings’ Week 15 game is on Monday, Dec. 20.
A Pro Bowler in each of the past two years, Cook is in the first season of a five-year, $63MM extension. He has missed three games this season, leading to high-end backup Alexander Mattison making starts. While Mattison could see more work than normal in his RB2 role, Cook is on track to beat his most recent injury timetable.
Makes it tough in fantasy if you have both. Normally Mattison wouldn’t see many touches when Cook plays, but could be different tonight.
What if they bring him back today but as like an emergency option, like the Rams did with Darrell Henderson last week? That’s another thing to watch out in fantasy, whether the players who get activated actually play or not…
Excellent point. Same with the Eagles last week right with Boston Scott. He had the flu all week, they made him active, but did not play.
Zimmer & Spielman are BOTH worried about their jobs beyond this season.