Latavius Murray, More Fantasy Outlook After Dalvin Cook Injury

The Minnesota Vikings' backfield depth will once again be tested after starting running back Dalvin Cook will miss Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Although Latavius Murray headlines the Vikes' group of reserve options, his mediocre production when called upon since signing with Minnesota last year could create opportunities for the likes of Mike Boone and Roc Thomas to become relevant in the world of fantasy football.

Let's check out the updated fantasy outlook for the team's rushers if Cook is sidelined again.

Latavius Murray

Murray has frequently emerged as a popular waiver-wire target over the past few years, but he's never translated the additional work into big numbers on a weekly basis for Minnesota.

The 28-year-old UCF product tallied 842 rushing yards and eight touchdowns across 16 games last season, a year which saw just four appearances from Cook as a rookie. He's averaged just 3.5 yards per attempt so far in 2018 with the starter battling a hamstring injury early in the season.

He's still the top free-agent target among the Vikings' backup running backs if available on the open market because of his expected workload. Don't be surprised if the coaching staff switches to a more balanced committee to give Boone and Thomas chances to shine, though.

That slides Murray more toward the flex conversation than the No. 2 running back level. He'll still be worth starting against lesser defensive fronts when Cook is out of the lineup, but his dependency on touchdowns to provide serious fantasy value could lead to frustration.

Mike Boone

Boone went undrafted out of the University of Cincinnati earlier this year, but a strong performance during training camp and the preseason (a team-high 195 yards on 49 carries) earned him a roster spot.

He's the biggest threat to Murray in terms of early-down carries. He's showcased good power between the tackles, which also makes him an option around the goal line, and was never overworked at Cincy (134 max touches in a season), so he shouldn't be a candidate to hit any type of rookie wall.

His role is still dependent on more lackluster play from Murray, however, so fantasy owners shouldn't invest a high waiver claim or ample free-agent dollars on him. He's more of a speculative add.

That said, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Boone becomes a valuable fantasy asset if Cook's injury woes continue, so giving him a spot on your bench could pay off in the long run.

Roc Thomas

While Boone is the likely beneficiary if Murray can't stake claim to a workhorse role, don't sleep on Thomas in points-per-reception formats.

The Alabama native, another undrafted free-agent signing, probably won't receive enough carries to warrant strong consideration in standard leagues. His ability to make plays out of the backfield could make him a niche third-down contributor, though.

Thomas made seven catches for 129 yards (18.4 yards per reception) during the preseason after hauling in 37 passes across his final two years at Jacksonville State. Yes, the sample size is small, but he at least warrants a look in passing situations for the Vikings.

Like Boone, he isn't worth a massive fantasy investment at this stage. He's more of a boom-or-bust lottery ticket in PPR leagues. But those type of players are nice additions for the end of the bench just in case they do break through.