Cook carried just six times for 17 yards and brought in four of six targets for 19 yards in the Vikings' 24-7 loss to the Eagles on Monday night.

EDGE Analysis

Head coach Kevin O'Connell, a former quarterback, had seemed to dispel any fears he'd run an overly pass-centric offense in Week 1 when Cook logged 20 carries against the Packers, but matters were quite different Monday night. The star back was an afterthought despite the Vikings trailing by a manageable 17 points entering the second half, although he at least was modestly involved on the receiving end. Cook's usage versus Philadelphia should naturally prove to be an outlier as the season unfolds, however; moreover, fantasy managers should be optimistic about a Week 3 divisional home clash against a Lions team Cook's missed the last three games against, but that he eviscerated for 206 yards and two touchdowns the last time he saw them in Week 9 of the 2020 campaign.

Cook rushed 20 times for 90 yards and caught three of five targets for 18 yards in Sunday's 23-7 win over the Packers.

EDGE Analysis

Cook garnered a healthy workload in his first game under new coach Kevin O'Connell. Although he didn't manage to find the end zone, Cook looked quick while topping 100 scrimmage yards to begin the campaign. He'll next face an Eagles defense that surrendered 175 yards and a touchdown to D'Andre Swift in Week 1.

Cook and other starters aren't expected to play in Saturday's preseason game at Denver, with coach Kevin O'Connell prioritizing health ahead of Week 1 against Green Bay, Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cook has five career preseason touches and won't add to the total this year, held out for a third straight game along with QB Kirk Cousins, WR Justin Jefferson and others. O'Connell may favor the passing game more than Minnesota's old coaching staff did, but his offense could still be beneficial for Cook's fantasy value if it leads to more targets, more goal-line chances or increased play volume for the team overall. Cook will start the regular season facing a Green Bay defense that held him to 99 yards on 31 carries (3.2 YPC) last year.

Cook and most other starters are not expected to play in Saturday's preseason game against the 49ers.

EDGE Analysis

Cook might be held out even if the other starters were playing given his injury history and importance to the team. The Vikings have four options behind Cook at tailback, though Alexander Mattison might not see much work if the team is using this game to look at guys at the back end of the roster or on the bubble.

Cook is not in line to play in Sunday's preseason opener against the Raiders.

EDGE Analysis

Cook, along with the majority of the Vikings' top offensive players, will be held out of Sunday's exhibition game. Expect Alexander Mattison and Kene Nwangwu to handle the majority of the running back duties during the first half, while Ty Chandler and Bryant Koback may get some work after halftime.

Cook (hand) practiced Wednesday, Arif Hasan of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cook was removed from Tuesday's practice but won't miss any additional time. Alexander Mattison also practiced Wednesday after hurting his hand earlier in the week, while tight end Irv Smith recently had thumb surgery. Cook is locked in as a must-start option whenever healthy, with the downside being that he's missed multiple games every season and is especially at risk for injuries to the right shoulder that he's torn and/or dislocated multiple times.

Cook left Tuesday's practice with what appeared to be a hand injury, returned for one snap and then sat out the rest of practice, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

The injury appears minor but it's worth monitoring during training camp. Cook's usage in training camp is worth watching as he could be used more as a receiver and less as a workhorse rusher in new head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense. Either way, Cook still will be a focal point, perhaps trading some carries for targets and likely experiencing positive TD regression after scoring only six from 1,383 yards from scrimmage last year.

Cook could see more targets under new head coach Kevin O'Connell, NFL.com's Kevin Patra reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cook doesn't exactly have reliable hands -- he's dropped 20 passes over the past four seasons -- but he knows where to be and is one of the toughest players to tackle in the league. He's thus been able to post strong receiving efficiency numbers by RB standards (career 8.2 YPR, 6.5 YPT, 78.8 percent catch rate) in addition to his excellent work on the ground (4.5 YPC or better every season). O'Connell's background with the Rams has many predicting that the Vikings will throw more passes this season, especially after WR Justin Jefferson told reporters the offense isn't run-first anymore. Cook still will be a focal point, of course, perhaps trading some carries for targets and likely experiencing positive TD regression after scoring only six from 1,383 yards from scrimmage last year. The biggest question, per usual, is how many games he'll play, as he's missed multiple contests every season and has suited up for only 69 percent of the Vikings' regular-season games since they drafted him in 2017. From a per-game standpoint, he looks solid as an RB1.

Cook rushed the ball 14 times for 79 yards in Sunday's 31-17 win over the Bears. He added one reception for three yards.

EDGE Analysis

Cook bounced back from a dismal Week 17 performance to put up a passable line to close the season. He ripped off a gain of 25 yards early in the third quarter to account for nearly one-third of his total yardage, but he was held to single-digit gains otherwise. Despite ultimately winning by a comfortable margin, the Vikings played from behind for the the first three quarters, limiting Cook to under 20 carries for the second consecutive game. Between time on the reserve/COVID-19 list as well as a shoulder injury, Cook was able to suit up in only 13 contests this season. Even so, he posted 1,159 rushing yards and 224 yards as a receiver while finding the end zone six times.

Cook (illness) had six carries for 13 yards and three receptions for no gain in Sunday's 37-10 loss to Green Bay.

EDGE Analysis

Cook was activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list after missing Week 16, and he was the only Vikings tailback to receive any carries. Despite reclaiming his usual starting role, the star back was bottled up from start to finish in this one. This was the absolute worst time for Cook to turn in his worst fantasy performance of the season, as many managers likely needed more from him in the championship round. Cook and the Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention, but he should have a chance to rebound against the Bears next Sunday.