Dalvin Cook named No. 31 in NFL Top 100 players in 2022

Former FSU standout running back Dalvin Cook ranks as the No. 31 player among the NFL top 100 going into the 2022 season.

It’s a slight drop from the No. 20 spot he earned going into the 2021 season, but it signifies Cook is still one of the best running backs in the NFL going into his sixth season.

Cook has been a Pro Bowler the past three seasons, all of which have seen him surpass the 1,000-yard mark with the Minnesota Vikings. Cook saw a reduction in his numbers from the previous year in 2021, appearing in 13 games with 63 fewer carries and five fewer targets in the passing game.

He saw a slight 12.1 percent drop in passes caught last year and a decrease in the yards per touch with each reception. The biggest reduction was the number of touchdowns scored, which decreased from 16 to six.

However, from an average standpoint, Cook was right on his career 4.7 yards per rush average. Other than missing games, Cook’s reduction likely resulted in a couple of things.

NFL defense looked to shut down Minnesota’s running game, and the Vikings gave him less of the workload after Cook rushed 312 attempts in 2020 on a team that went 7-9.

Cook is only 26 years old and likely has a couple more years of top-tier play left if he can stay healthy. He’s a player you may be able to find great fantasy football value in 2022 if folks try to anticipate a continued decline in his numbers.

He announced a return to the No. 4 number he wore with FSU football, which FSU fans remember fondly. Cook is one of several Noles to make the NFL Top 100 list multiple times, and will likely appear on it at least one more time before his career is complete.