The Minnesota Vikings received good news on Thursday afternoon when it was announced that running back Dalvin Cook was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.
Cook — who suffered a shoulder injury in the win over the Detroit Lions in week 3 — is expected to play on Sunday when the Vikings take on the New Orleans Saints in London on Sunday morning.
Dalvin Cook Week 4 Fantasy Football Ranking & Analysis
Per our Stokastic NFL Start/Sit Fantasy Football Rankings, Cook is currently listed as the No. 16 running back on the board for Week 4.
Dating back to the last few weeks of 2021, Cook had been dealing with an uncharacteristic touchdown drought. But given his goal line prowess, it was likely only a matter of time before he started finding the end zone again. Sure enough, he was able to score last weekend.
Against the Lions, Cook got the ball 17 times and ran for 96 yards and a touchdown. He currently has 203 yards and just the one touchdown on the young season.
“I have all the confidence in the world in (Cook), and I’ve got to do a better job of making sure I get him in a rhythm,’’ Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday.
Before he was used heavily against the Lions, Cook gave O’Connell the benefit of the doubt, realizing that he was going to get the ball plenty over the course of the rest of the season.
“You kind of have balance (it),’’ Cook said. “It’s kind of hard as a coach. … You’re down, you’re trying to score, we’re trying to win in a hostile environment, a lot of factors into play calling.”
If Cook is fully healthy and on the field this weekend, expect him to get a fair share of carries this Sunday.
