Vikings' Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu Back in Spotlight as Dalvin Cook Hits COVID List

Vikings Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Because he's unvaccinated, Cook will spend a minimum of ten days on the NFL's COVID reserve list, meaning he's out for Sunday's game against the Rams.

Cook's status for the Week 17 rematch against the Packers is also in doubt. The ten-day clock expires one day before that game, so he'll have a chance to return if he's able to test negative on Saturday and again on Sunday morning. But if Cook is recovering from symptoms or still testing positive, he may miss that game as well.

It's a major blow for the Vikings. They're losing one of their best players and a team captain for one, maybe two, crucially important games against top competition in the middle of an uphill climb to secure the No. 7 seed in the NFC. Cook deserves every bit of criticism Kirk Cousins received earlier this year for declining to get vaccinated, as his selfish choice could hurt his team — particularly if he misses the Packers game as well as this one.

From an on-field perspective, this means Alexander Mattison is back in the spotlight as the Vikings' No. 1 running back. Mattison, who is just coming off a ten-day stint on the COVID list himself, has started three games in place of Cook this season, averaging roughly 30 touches for 149 yards per game with two total touchdowns.

However, two of those starts came against the Lions. The Rams, with Aaron Donald, Greg Gaines, and great tacklers all across their defense, are a different animal.

"Big challenge not having Dalvin," offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said. "Obviously a team captain and great player. Unfortunately he won’t be available. But we’ve been through this this year already and guys have stepped up. Alex has stepped up, Kene [Nwangwu] is getting more comfortable, and it’s Week 2 with Wayne Gallman. Hammer [C.J. Ham] has always been a swiss army knife. We’ve just got to go with the guys that we’ve got."

It'll be interesting to see how much work Nwangwu gets at RB this week. The rookie from Iowa State impressed in limited action in Chicago, ripping off 33 yards on just three carries. He was both elusive and decisive in his cuts, and physical in breaking a couple of tackles. Nwangwu's two kickoff return touchdowns earlier this year obviously indicate the type of ability he has with the ball in his hands. The thing holding him back from seeing major snaps at RB so far, beyond the presence of Cook and Mattison, is pass protection. He needs to keep developing in pass pro and as a receiver to be trusted for significant reps.

"He gets better and better every week, the more comfortable that he gets," Kubiak said. "He’s working really hard at it. You saw some explosive runs there last week. Very capable back with a lot of potential, we’ve just got to keep repping him, keep getting him better. The easy thing is that he’s so coachable and so eager to better himself. Working together, he’s going to keep improving."

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