Will Dalvin Cook play next week for your Fantasy Football playoffs?

If the season ended today the Vikings would squeak into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed. They need Dalvin Cook to play next week to hold that spot.

When he’s healthy, Dalvin Cook is one of the most productive running backs in the NFL. Unfortunately for the Vikings, they may not be able to count on him next week. His uncertain status is a big problem for Minnesota and Fantasy Football owners who want Cook to help them win their playoff match-ups.

Don’t expect Cook to practice much, if at all, for Mike Zimmer’s team this week. The organization will treat him with kid gloves heading up to Sunday’s home game against the Lions. The division game is a must win for Minnesota if they want to keep control of their own destiny as it relates to the postseason.

For what it’s worth, Cook told team officials that he will certainly be “good to go” after leaving Monday night’s game against the Seahawks. That’s not uncommon for a player who desperately wants to help his team reach the promised land of the Super Bowl. Expect the team’s medical staff to conduct a thorough examination of Cook this week before clearing him to play against Detroit.

In the event that Cook can’t go against the Lions, his backup, Alexander Mattison, should be in line to pick up a ton of carries. He’s gotten a lot of short yardage work for the Vikings this season but his role will expand considerably if Cook isn’t in the mix. Mattison isn’t a big play back that’s going to put a fantasy team on his back and carry them to victory, but he’s a reasonable play for Cook owners scrambling for a replacement for their star running back.

Nobody can be certain whether Cook will play or not at this point in the week. Keep a close eye on his status over the coming days before you set your final fantasy lineup or elect to count on the Vikings getting a big win over the Lions on Sunday.