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The Minnesota Vikings’ backfield depth might be getting a little bit better. Rookie running back Alexander Mattison expects to help the Vikings take on the New Orleans Saints in Sunday’s first NFL wild card matchup, according to the Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer.
Mattison hasn’t played since suffering an ankle injury against the Detroit Lions in Week 14 but was listed as active for Minnesota’s regular season finale. However, you shouldn’t expect his workload to be heavy against the Saints.
Fantasy football analysis: Vikings running backs
The Vikings’ feature back Dalvin Cook says he expects to be a full go on Sunday after missing two weeks with a shoulder injury. Reserve back Mike Boone rushed for a career-high 148 yards on 17 carries over the weekend. This could lead to Mattison being limited against one of the better defensive lines in the league.
New Orleans has the NFL’s fourth-ranked rushing defense in 2019 and allowed a mere 91.3 yards per game on the ground during the regular season. This doesn’t bode well for Mattison’s production. His best rushing performance came when he ran for 58 yards on 12 carries against the Oakland Raiders in Week 3.