Fantasy Football: Dalvin Cook expected to play Thursday; should you start him?

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Dalvin Cook (hamstring) is expected to play for Thursday night

Cook was originally considered a game-time decision, but reports came down Thursday afternoon that he is expected to play. That's the good news. Now, however, Fantasy players have a tough decision to make, with Cook potentially set for a limited role in his return from his injury, according to Ian Rappoport:

The #Vikings expect RB Dalvin Cook to play tonight, and he did take part in today’s walk-through, source said. They will watch him carefully in warmups to be sure his hamstring responds properly and will be on a pitch count vs. the #Rams.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 27, 2018

Cook is the kind of player you want in your lineup whenever he's active, and that remains true tonight, especially in a game where the Vikings may not have the freedom to limit his workload late if they get up big; that probably isn't happening against this Rams team. Still, you're facing a situation where Cook's role could be up in the air even in a competitive game. That could mean 20 snaps and 12 touches; it could be 40 snaps and 20 touches.

The good news is, Cook is probably worth starting in either situation. Unless you are absolutely stacked at running back — say you drafted Kareem Hunt and then added Giovani Bernard (Jamey Eisenberg's Start of the Week for Week 4) — he's probably better than your second or especially third option at the position. He's someone to view as more of a low-end No. 2 back for Week 4, but that should be enough to start him, even if he's a risk. At the very least, he should be good for whatever goal-line work the Vikings get, even if he splits work between the 20s with Latavius Murray.

The thing to remember is this: Start him in a running back slot, not your flex, even if he's technically your No. 3. The last thing you want to do is get to Sunday with some unexpected injury and no flexibility because you started a Thursday night player in your flex. Now, let's just hope you don't regret starting him at all.

Rex Burkhead was placed on IR

Burkhead's season has been snake-bitten from the start, as he struggled with a knee injury in the preseason, but this latest one puts his season in jeopardy. He suffered the injury during Week 3 against the Lions, and it's not clear whether he has a chance to return from the IR at some point.

The trickle-down effects of this injury are obvious, as a crowded Pats' backfield may have just solved itself. James White remains locked into a passing game role, though the absence of Burkhead could help him, as Burkhead had 36 targets in 10 games last season. However, the obvious beneficiary is rookie Sony Michel, the first-round pick out of Georgia. Michel struggled with his own knee injury in the preseason, but has 24 carries over the last two games, and already seems to have established himself as the go-to back in the running game. He's still knocking off the rust, averaging 3.5 yards per carry, but he's going to have a long leash moving forward. For those of you who stashed Michel, he looks like the No. 1 back for the Patriots, a role that has been very lucrative in the past. Expect to lean heavily on him as at least an RB2 moving forward.

Alshon Jeffery has been cleared for contact

The champs are starting to get back to full strength. Carson Wentz returned in Week 3, and it looks like his top WR will be following shortly. It hasn't been confirmed that Jeffery will be on the field for Week 4 against the Titans, but this was his last medical hurdle. Jeffery practiced in full for the first time Wednesday and seems like a good bet to play. I wouldn't start him right away, but Jeffery's upside is high enough that you should be able to rely on him soon enough.

Update: Jeffery did not practice Thursday, however he was dealing with an illness, not a setback with his shoulder. We'll see what happens Friday.

Doug Baldwin could play in Week 4

Baldwin seems like more of a longshot than Jeffery, but the fact he was able to practice even on a limited basis Wednesday represents big improvement. Baldwin has missed just two games due to his Grade 2 MCL sprain, and as Dr. Brandon Bowers notes at SportsLine, that puts him on the shorter side of the typical timetable for that kind of injury, so it would still be a surprise to see Baldwin back on the field Sunday. However, the team isn't ruling out a return against the Cardinals, and if not this week, a Week 5 return could be in the cards. The Seahawks could surely use their No. 1 receiver back, and Baldwin could end up a very valuable stash if he gets healthy.

LeSean McCoy expects to play in Week 4

McCoy was still limited in practice Wednesday, but he struck a more optimistic tone when talking to reporters, telling them "I'm playing." There isn't a lot of room for ambiguity in that statement, so it certainly seems like you should expect to see McCoy out there Sunday against the Packers. I can't say he would be a must-start option – his performance in the first few games speaks for itself in that regard – but you'll probably want to get McCoy in your lineup, given his expected workload.

Matt Breida was limited at practice

Initially, it looked like Breida may not practice at all, so this actually qualifies as pretty good news. He was able to play through a knee hyperextension in Week 3, but coach Kyle Shanahan dubbed him questionable for Week 4 against the Chargers on Monday. We'll monitor this situation throughout the week, but if Breida continues to make progress and plays Sunday, you'll be hard-pressed to find a justification to sit the NFL's leading rusher, even with the 49ers set to play out the season without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Breida's abilities in the passing game should mesh well with C.J. Beathard, who relied heavily on Carlos Hyde in the passing game when he started in 2017.

Other notes from around the league:

Chris Carson (hip) was limited at practice … At this point, this doesn't seem like a reason for alarm, but it's something to monitor coming off Carson's breakout performance. It would be a shame if an injury slowed him down just as the Seahawks decided to go all-in with him in the running game, so we'll see if Carson can improve as the week goes on.
Rishard Matthews has reportedly asked for his release … Matthews was not at the Titans' facility Wednesday, and coach Mike Vrabel told reporters it was for "personal reasons." It sounds like it was more "personnel reasons," as Matthews told A to Z Sports Nashville he is asking for his release, citing a lack of playing time since his preseason injury. Matthews has just three receptions for 11 yards in three games.
Keenan Allen (knee) did not practice … It's not clear when Allen suffered the injury Sunday, but he was held out Wednesday because of it. Hopefully this was just a veteran's day off, but we'll have to keep an eye on it as the week moves forward.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (abdomen) did not practice … This is another one where it isn't clear when the injury occurred, but it's obviously something to monitor throughout the week. The hope here is this is just a precaution, given how dominant Smith-Schuster has been to open the season.
Jay Ajayi (back) did not practice … Doug Pederson told reporters Monday he expects Ajayi to practice this week, but that will have to come Thursday or Friday if it does at all. At this point, I can't expect I'll be able to rely on Ajayi in Week 4 against the Titans.
Evan Engram (knee) will miss 2-4 weeks … This isn't a huge surprise after Engram was diagnosed with a sprained MCL, and it seems almost certain he will not play in Week 4. A Week 5 return against the Panthers is possible, though the Giants play on Thursday night in Week 6, so it wouldn't be a surprise if we don't end up seeing Engram until Week 7.
Leonard Fournette (hamstring) remains limited … Fournette remains in a holding pattern. At this time last week, it looked like he was progressing toward a return, but he was ruled out for Week 3 Sunday. We may not have any clarity on this one until Friday.
Marcus Mariota will start in Week 4 … That's good news because Mariota isn't Blaine Gabbert. But it still sounds like he is struggling with the nerve issue in his elbow that has plagued him in the early part of the season, and he may not have his full arm strength back. At this point, Mariota is untouchable in Fantasy until he proves healthy and effective.
Hayden Hurst (foot) returned to practice … Keep an eye on this one. Hurst was a favorite sleeper around these parts before his injury, and he practiced for the first time since having surgery on his foot Wednesday. He seems like a long shot for Week 4 against the Steelers, but he could be a big part of this passing game whenever he is healthy – tight ends have 28 targets for the Ravens this season.