Dalvin Cook played in just four games before tearing his ACL as a rookie in 2017, and 2018 hasn’t been any better thanks to a hamstring injury that the Vikings’ running back can’t seem to overcome.
According to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, there’s a growing likelihood that Cook misses this week’s primetime game against the Saints on Sunday Night Football and next week’s game against Detroit, possibly returning to action following Minnesota’s Week 10 bye.
Nagging by nature, the hamstring injury has limited Cook to just 10 carries since he suffered the injury in Minnesota’s Week 2 tie with the Packers. He didn’t play in a Week 3 loss to the Bills, got on the field for 10 carries in a Week 4 loss to the Rams and hasn’t played in the last three games.
Cook has played in just seven of 25 games, including the playoffs, the Vikings have played since drafting him in the second round last year.
In his absence the Vikings have turned to veteran Latavius Murray, who has played very well the last two weeks, rushing for a career-high 155 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota’s win over the Cardinals followed by a two-touchdown game against the Jets.
Murray and the Vikings rushing offense will have its hands full this week as they face the Saints’ No. 1-ranked rushing defense. New Orleans is allowing just 3.1 yards per carry and 72.1 rushing yards per game.
On the flip side, opposing quarterbacks have posted a combined 112.1 passer rating against the Saints, which is the second-highest in the NFL.
The Saints’ passing defense has left plenty of opening for opposing offenses, and quarterbacks have combined for a 112.2 passer rating against them.
Find more Vikings stories on BMTN’s Flipboard Vikings 2018 magazine.
