2023 NFL Training Camp Battles: Alexander Mattison, DeWayne McBride, Ty Chandler (Fantasy Football)

Position battles can be one of the more difficult things to gauge, and you don’t want to get the wrong player, or else your entire team suffers.

These three teams either added some players to the running back room or have a completely new roster of running backs. Let’s take a deep dive into who these RBs are and how to approach drafting them.

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2023 Position Battles to Watch

(Rankings are for PPR formats)

Minnesota Vikings Running Backs

Alexander Mattison (ADP: 58 | RB 18)
Ty Chandler (ADP: 191 | RB 60)
DeWayne McBride (ADP: 239 | RB 73)

The Vikings made a huge decision this past offseason and let go of long-time running back Dalvin Cook, who was coming off his fourth-straight 1,000-yard rushing season. With big shoes to fill, who will step in?

The obvious candidate is Cook’s longtime backup, Alexander Mattison. In the past, Cook missed time with injuries, which allowed Mattison to get a full workload, and he has come through. In the last five games that Cook missed with Mattison filling in as the lead back, he finished inside the top-10 RBs four times. He is very similar to Cook in many ways; his size allows him to go up the gut, but he can also catch balls out of the backfield. With the chance at 300 touches, he could produce similar numbers to Cook.

The big question is, who will emerge as in a backup role?

Minnesota drafted Ty Chandler in the fifth round in 2022, and some thought he could have moved in as the next man up after Cook. He didn’t see the field much last season due to a thumb injury but was underwhelming, with only six carries, averaging 3.3 yards. If you look at his tape from North Carolina, there is hope for a sophomore surge; he’s agile, has great cuts and adds value as a dual-threat back.

The Vikings also grabbed another running back this year in DeWayne McBride. He put up cheat code-like numbers at UAB, rushing for 3,523 yards and 36 touchdowns on 7.3 yards per attempt in 30 games. He has ankle-breaking cut abilities and a great second burst that allows him to gain big chunks.

Mattison will be the player to largely invest in, especially if he gets the same volume Cook did. McBride and Chandler should both be change-of-pace backs. What gives Chandler the advantage is that he can catch passes, while McBride had just five receptions in three college seasons.

Conclusion