Getty Minnesota Vikings RB Latavius Murray
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook’s brutal run of injuries is now continuing into Week 7 of the NFL season. While the running back has played in just three games this season, fantasy football owners who were hoping for a return sooner than later were left disappointed Friday.
As ESPN’s Courtney Cronin revealed, the team has ruled Cook out for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets.
It’s been a tough stretch for Cook, and at this point, most fantasy football players likely have a backup plan for the running back on a weekly basis. And if you stuck with Vikings No. 2 back Latavius Murray through his brutally slow start, then you were paid off nicely in Week 6.
Murray ripped off 155 rushing yards and one touchdown on 24 carries against the Arizona Cardinals and finally looked like a player capable of making a fantasy impact. So let’s break down the matchup for Murray in Week 7 and decide whether he’s a start or sit against the Jets.
Key Stats and Latavius Murray’s Fantasy Outlook
I’ll break down the matchup, and a few other key numbers that jump out on Murray’s matchup in Week 7. All information on fantasy points and statistics for defense vs. position are from ESPN.
- New York Jets vs. running backs in 2018: 126 carries, 517 yards, 38 receptions, 288 receiving yards, five total touchdowns (No. 15 most fantasy points per game)
- Murray’s snaps jumped from 74 percent to 82 percent from Week 5 to Week 6, per Football Outsiders
- Murray coming off two best performances of season, totaling 35 carries for 197 yards, one touchdown in stretch
The snap count is nice for Murray, but the matchup is less than ideal. If Murray sees double-digit touches, he’s still likely worth considering, but the Vikings running back has only gone above 11 carries once this year (Week 6).
Should You Start or Sit Latavius Murray?
I actually don’t mind Murray this week in fantasy. Although his matchup is less than ideal, he flashed some of the upside we’ve seen at various points in his career. Murray’s ceiling likely won’t be incredibly high, but if you need a filler as a flex play in 12-team leagues or a RB2/flex in 14-team leagues or larger, you could do far worse.
One major positive for the 28-year-old is that the Vikings should be able to grab a lead and then use the ground game in order to run some clock and bolster their lead. If they do get a lead and Murray is able to see 15-20 rushing attempts, he’ll be in a good spot to come close to 100 yards and/or potentially find the end zone.
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