Another playoff contender will be without a key weapon in Week 16. The Vikings placed Dalvin Cook on their reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday.
This will sideline the Pro Bowl running back for Sunday’s game against the Rams, with the door open to a Week 17 absence against the Packers. This news points to Alexander Mattison starting in the backfield. The third-year Cook backup tested positive for the coronavirus last week but was activated Wednesday.
Cook’s virus-list placement adds another Pro Bowler this week, following the likes of Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and J.C. Tretter. While the Chiefs are uncertain about their skill-position stars’ availability, the Vikings are certain to be without Cook. He is unvaccinated, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. That requires a 10-day isolation period, which will keep Cook out of practice ahead of Minnesota’s Week 17 matchup against Green Bay. Cook tested positive, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He is out 10 days.
The Vikings have seen Mattison play well in Cook’s stead during his three-year tenure. They will count on another strong performance in a pivotal matchup. Mattison has two 100-yard rushing games and another 90-yarder in three starts. The former third-round pick is, however, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry; Cook exited Week 15 at 4.7.
Cook is two games removed from a 200-yard performance against the Steelers, and he earned his third straight Pro Bowl nod on Wednesday. The fifth-year standout has gained 1,067 rushing yards, doing so in just 11 games during a season in which he has missed more time due to injury. This virus positive will run Cook’s absence count to four games this year.
Just in time for the fantasy semi finals
Thanks Cook!
How sad is it that we’re still banning players for a slight cold even with vaccines now? The world has completely flipped on its head where no risk or illness of any kind is tolerable whatsoever.
Let’s face it, the current state of people is that we’ve bred nothing but hypochondriacs too afraid to step outside now.
Thanks Cook? I say thanks media.
He’s not vaccinated, so you cannot say with any certainty how serious it is. If he were vaccinated, every measurable statistic says it’s less likely to be a big deal to him.
As for all the other stuff, I understand your frustration, but think your aim is a bit off. This is all about liability, not hypochondria. Specifically for the NFL, look at their ongoing CTE settlements. This is an easy example of why they have to do something to address potential future health related issues for their players.
How do you know it’s a slight cold and that he’s not in the hospital right now? You don’t. You just prefer to spout Fox News nonsense.
Also, he’s an idiot for not being vaccinated. Science is a thing.
Equally wild assumption on your behalf.
It’s Christmas time, bro. Chill out.
Science is only a thing when it’s convenient. If it was always a thing, the media would be lauding the fact that science has shown (both in real world and labs) the new dominant variant to produce cold symptoms (at worst) in almost everyone who contracts it (vaccinated or otherwise), instead of spouting all the CNN nonsense.
Nope. Omicron, same as with Delta, is running about a ~14x rate of hospitalization for the unvaccinated as compared to breakthrough cases in the vaccinated.
Sickness and death is coming to your town, and those FAFO victims will be self-selected because of the stubborn spread of misinformation flooding their information ecosystem. Too bad.
Like josiahdd said- science is only a thing when it’s convenient. It’s like trannies who want to be called men/women but were born the opposite. Enjoy your fear mongering and CNN lol
Amen brother!
Tools keep getting vaccinated and being the guinea pigs this world wants! Thanks for taking the vaccine and showing us what not to do!!