COVID has caused a ton of issues across the NFL over the last several weeks. The Minnesota Vikings are not exempt from those issues. Kirk Cousins will miss this week against the Packers due to the pandemic and Dalvin Cook missed last week dealing with COVID as well.
With the most critical week of the fantasy football season upon us, we will be checking in and providing updates on various COVID and injury situations around the league. Is Dalvin Cook playing this week? Will he make it back to face the Packers in the fantasy football championships? Let's jump into it.
Is Dalvin Cook Playing This Week Against the Packers?
Dalvin Cook missed last week after being placed on the COVID-19 list, but he received some good news earlier this week and is expected to play in Week 17 against the Packers:
With Cook off the COVID list plenty of time before the game we should expect him to see his usual workload assuming COVID didn't have an adverse effect on his stamina. The Vikings are desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive so if Cook is able, he should be used heavily.
Is Dalvin Cook Starting In Week 17 Against the Packers?
Cook has since returned to practice this week and there has been no news on any possible limitations or setbacks to this point, especially since Cook was a full participant in practice on Thursday.
As stated earlier, the Vikings are in desperation mode with a slim path to the playoffs still available to them. With that in mind, we should expect the Vikings to use Cook, one of their best offensive weapons, as much as humanely possible as they attempt to beat one of the best teams in the NFC.
Should I Start Dalvin Cook This Week?
With Cook practicing in full and the must-win situation the Vikings are in, we should expect the Cook to get the start and get as much workload as he can handle. The matchup for Cook is elite as the Packers run defense ranks 31st in DVOA. Unfortunately, the game script should be against him.
As stated, the Packers represent one of the best teams in the NFC fighting for playoff seeding and the Vikings will be without their starting quarterback. It is a good bet the Packers will wipe the floor with the Cousins-less Vikings. Cook is a good volume bet and a solid RB1, but his ceiling is questionable considering the likelihood that the Packers pull away as the game goes on.
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