Daniel Jeremiah Says Dalvin Cook Will Be an MVP Contender in 2020
With Stefon Diggs in Buffalo and Gary Kubiak taking the reigns as the Vikings' play-caller, the 2020 season could be a huge one for Dalvin Cook if he's able to finally stay healthy for all 16 games.
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently said he expects Cook to be in the MVP race during the upcoming season.
"[Gary Kubiak] has long been one of the best play-callers in the NFL," Jeremiah said on his Move The Sticks show with Bucky Brooks. "I think you're going to see Dalvin Cook be in the running as the MVP of the league. This run game is outstanding, they've upgraded the offensive line at the tackle position [with Ezra Cleveland] – it's all set up for Dalvin Cook in this Gary Kubiak system to have a big year."
Both Jeremiah and Brooks said they expect the Vikings to improve on their 2019 season, in which they went 10-6 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs.
If Cook stays healthy, I would absolutely expect him to have a huge year. He was averaging 141.5 yards from scrimmage per game through ten weeks last season, putting him on pace for 2,264. That would've been the 14th-best total of all time. Cook faded a bit down the stretch as he dealt with multiple upper-body injuries, but he showed that he's a top-five running back in the NFL at his peak.
Cook, who tore his ACL in 2017 and dealt with a hamstring injury in 2018, has the dual-threat ability to rack up yards and touchdowns against all types of defensive looks. He finished last season with 1,135 rushing yards, 519 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns in just 14 games.
To win MVP, Cook would probably need to play every game, have a huge statistical year, and also lead the Vikings to at least 11 or 12 wins. Christian McCaffrey posted the third-most yards from scrimmage ever last season, but the Panthers went 5-11 and he wasn't a factor in the MVP race, which is currently dominated by quarterbacks. Only one running back has won the award since 2007, and that was the Vikings' own Adrian Peterson in 2012.
Bovada currently gives Cook +8000 odds to win the 2020 MVP, tied for 26th-best among all players.
The big question with Cook is whether or not he'll have a new contract before the season kicks off.
Related reading:
- How Many Rushing Yards Will Dalvin Cook Have in 2020?
- Vikings Have Had 'Productive Talks' About New Contract For Dalvin Cook
- What Does the Christian McCaffrey Extension Mean For Dalvin Cook and the Vikings?
- Vikings Running Backs Preview: Will Dalvin Cook Get Paid?
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