Fantasy Alert: Alexander Mattison Still Has Vikings' Confidence amid Cam Akers Trade

The addition of Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings backfield has opened up some fantasy drama, but Alexander Mattison is still a player the team believes in going forward.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said they "haven't lost confidence" in Mattison through two games.

Minnesota acquired Akers and a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2026 from the Los Angeles Rams for a conditional sixth-round pick in 2026.

Given the details of the trade, it's obvious Akers hasn't been lighting the world on fire. He was a healthy scratch for the Rams' Week 2 game against the San Francisco 49ers with Kyren Williams, Ronnie Rivers and Royce Freeman handling the running-back duties.

"[I] felt like that was best for our football team," Rams head coach Sean McVay said after the 30-23 loss on Sunday. "It felt like Kyren gave us the best opportunity. And what Ronnie and Royce have done. So that was a decision that I made."

There was hope coming into this season that Akers would be able to handle a heavier workload. He finished the 2022 campaign strong with three consecutive 100-yard games and a three-touchdown performance in a 51-14 win over the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day.

Even though it was only game, Week 1 wasn't a good indication that Akers carried his momentum into 2023. The 24-year-old had 29 rushing yards on 22 carries in a 30-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Mattison took over the starting role in Minnesota after Dalvin Cook was released on June 9. It was certainly a risky choice to go with Mattison, who averaged fewer than 4.0 yards per carry in each of the past two seasons.

Things haven't gone great for Mattison through his first two games in an expanded role. The Boise State alum has 83 yards from scrimmage and one receiving touchdown on 25 touches. He lost a fumble in the first quarter of Minnesota's 34-28 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 14.

One thing that could work in Akers' favor is his familiarity with Minnesota's coaching staff. Head coach Kevin O'Connell was the Rams offensive coordinator during his rookie season in 2020. Phillips was the tight ends coach on that staff in Los Angeles.

Akers' had a solid season in 2020 when he racked up 748 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns on 156 touchdowns. The Rams split carries between Akers, Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown.

Phillips didn't say if Akers would be available to play in Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. It will be worth keeping an eye on how Mattison runs if Akers doesn't suit up.

If Akers does get on the field, fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on how many snaps he gets and how O'Connell uses him. If he is featured after having just three days to learn the offense before Week 3, it could signal he will be the bellwether back going forward.