Why Alexander Mattison is an Overlooked Key to the Vikings’ 2023 Season
K. Joudry
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If the expected happens, Dalvin Cook will be heading elsewhere. The long-time starter in Minnesota failed to get a strong endorsement from his GM, signalling that the time is nigh in Vikings Land.
Taking over the reins at the RB1 spot will almost certainly be Alexander Mattison, who is fresh off his rookie contract.
Going into his fifth season and still only 24, Mattison can help the Vikings reinvent themselves on offense (at least in part).
As many will know by now, the Vikings ran the ball 404 times last season, 27th in the NFL. Cook had 264 rushes and Mattison just 74. Are we going to see Mattison push for 250+ carries in the upcoming season? There’s at least some reason to think so. Mattison – alongside Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, and DeWayne McBride – have the chance to assert their importance in the upcoming season.
Alexander Mattison & The Vikings Offense
Drafted 102nd overall (a few spots ahead of a player Rick Spielman coveted), Mattison received some early criticism. He offered a fairly average 6.23 RAS score, suggesting he is just a bit above average athletically. His 4.67 forty isn’t particularly inspiring, though his 22 reps on the bench do point toward some notable strength. Some draft experts thought the pick should have gone elsewhere.
He has played relatively sparingly in Minnesota since coming aboard. At most, he has had 377 snaps on offense (2021). For reference, Cook came in at 841 snaps on offense last season.
For a long time, Cook has been the main option at RB for the Vikings. A side effect is that Mattison should be a pretty young 24. He didn’t have to navigate a gruelling workload during his rookie contract. Instead, he served as a rotational back with just 6 starts on his résumé.
Minnesota has signalled their desire to run the ball more by retaining C.J. Ham and signing Josh Oliver. The pair of blocking specialists don’t make a lot of sense unless the team shifts to more of an emphasis on the ground game.
In Kevin O’Connell’s first year on the job, the Vikings were in 12 personnel just 8% of the time. One has to assume we’ll see that percentage venture into the double digits in the upcoming season.
The beauty of featuring the running game more prominently rests in the potential to help Brian Flores’ defense. The team has done surprisingly little to overhaul that side of the ball. Veterans like Dalvin Tomlinson, Eric Kendricks, Patrick Peterson, and others are all playing elsewhere. And, to be sure, some additions have been made, Byron Murphy and Marcus Davenport foremost among them.
It is notable, though, that the team hasn’t signed more talent on defense. Clearly, there’s some hope that Mr. Flores can provide much of the answer in just his scheme, play calls, and in-game adjustments.
The Offense Helping the Defense
Another major other factor, though, is the offense being able to possess the ball for longer.
If Minnesota is consistently churning out first downs, then the other side won’t be able to score. An obvious point? Of course, and yet it’s worth noting. The best way to neutralize a stellar QB is to keep him on the bench. Even Patrick Mahomes can’t score TDs if he’s kept on the sideline.
Now, part of the beauty is that being in 12 personnel – or 13, 22, etc. – is the team is by no means forced into running the ball. Alexander Mattison happens to have talents beyond just carrying the football; he has proven to be an adept pass catcher.
Last season, he had a 42.9 receiving grade, a very poor number in the PFF rankings. For the previous three seasons, Mattison had a number in the 60s, a far more respectable grade. I’m of the belief that he’s a better receiver than his PFF score suggests.
Justin Jefferson is Minnesota’s cornerstone, but the Vikings want to feature their run game more prominently. The team values what Mattison brings to the table: a powerful running style and some pretty soft hands. He can function as a nice complement to the offense as a whole and be the lead guy in the running back committee.
Alexander Mattison is entering the opening season of the 2-year deal he signed this offseason. His cap hit comes in at $2.4 million. If he remains in 2024, that hit will grow to $4.6 million.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, StatMuse, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
