The 2023 season is inching closer and closer by the day and we here at Vikings Wire are previewing the season from every angle.
We are currently writing player profiles on each Minnesota Viking on the roster with projections for what their 2023 season could look like. How things look projecting forward is where the real intrigue lies.
Leading up to training camp, we will be looking at each position from a more in-depth perspective. Today, we will be looking at the running back position.
The room
- Alexander Mattison
- Ty Chandler
- Kene Nwangwu
- DeWayne McBride
- C.J. Ham (FB)
- Zach Ojile (FB)
Performance in 2022
Most of the performance from last season was by now departed running back Dalvin Cook. He had 264 of their 404 carries and was the only player above 300 yards rushing with 1,173 yards. Cook also had eight of the 18 rushing touchdowns, but the underlying metrics of his game weren’t great.
Dalvin Cook still hit some home runs this year, but he also finished last among 36 RBs in rush yards over expected, 36th/42 in DYAR, and 33rd in PFF rushing grade. 32% of his carries went for a yard or less.
Wherever he lands, he'll look to bounce back with a healthier shoulder.
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) June 8, 2023
With Cook playing all 17 games and the Vikings coaching staff not doing many substitutions in games, players like Mattison and Nwangwu didn’t get much run. Mattison only carried the ball 74 times for 283 yards while Nwangwu carried the ball nine times for 14 yards. Opportunity was the biggest issue for the players behind Cook and that is almost certain to change this year.
Ham received the fewest snaps of his career since he became the starter at just 180. The shift to playing more 11 personnel saw Ham play significantly less snaps.
Expectations in 2023
This is an interesting one to parse out. While Mattison is going to be the lead back in the room, the direction the Vikings are likely taking here is a true committee approach. In the games that Mattison got to start, he has played well, averaging 79.5 yards per game and 4.1 yards per carry. With his contract having a max average of $4 million per season, it’s a decent gamble.
Chandler only had six carries for 20 yards, but the lack of opportunity was a combination of being a rookie and breaking his wrist in the middle of the season. His explosive burst ranked in the 99.7th percentile coming out of North Carolina and will be a big part of Chandler getting opportunities.
Nwangwu has gotten more touches in minicamp, which shows some real improvement from his first two seasons. He has carried the ball only 22 times for 75 yards despite playing in 28 games. Despite entering the draft as a senior, Nwangwu was viewed as a raw prospect. He sat behind Breece Hall at Iowa State and still needed to learn the finer points of the position. What he did have was good size and a nice athletic profile. If he does take that next step, it will be great for the running back room.
McBride was viewed by the Vikings as a potential starter and selected him in the 7th round. It was a steal that the Vikings were able to get him that late, but it was due to two reasons: he couldn’t test due to a hamstring injury and he only caught five passes across three college seasons. McBride is great with the ball in his hands, but he will need time to develop.
Ham and Ojile represent a mostly dying position in fullback. The Vikings likely running a more Kyle Shanahan-inspired offensive attack than what they did last year, as the signing of Josh Oliver and only bringing in one wide receiver were good signals for that. Ojile likely isn’t going to make the team in 2023, but Ham will play a major role for the Vikings.
What does the future of the room look like?
Unlike last year with Cook’s future very much in doubt, this group of Vikings running backs is the future. Who emerges as the best of the bunch is still a major question mark. My money is on Chandler to be that player. His athleticism profile is off the charts and he flashed that during the preseason last year. With a lot of competition in the running back room, the best will rise to the top.
Previous state of the roster articles
