Vikings Coach Turns Heads With Decision on RB Alex Mattison

Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler is poised for another start after a breakout performance in Week 15, but head coach Kevin O’Connell isn’t ready to reel in Alexander Mattison just yet.

Chandler had a coming-out party last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, tallying 132 rushing yards on 23 carries while Mattison was out with an ankle injury. Chandler became the first player to surpass 100 yards on the ground this season for a Vikings offense that ranks 23rd in rushing yards this season.

The 2022 fifth-round pick’s performance complemented the passing game as the Vikings went over 400 total yards of offense for the first time since a Week 7 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Yet, O’Connell is still hesitant to deem Chandler his bonafide starting running back the rest of the season.

“While acknowledging ‘Ty is absolutely a guy that is going to continue to see a feature role in our offense,” O’Connell added: ‘What that looks like moving forward, as far as who gets the first touch of the game and all those things, we’ll continue to work through based upon what we are attempting to do scheme-wise,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote on December 20.

Without any other viable options, it matters little that Chandler is called the RB1 this week against the Detroit Lions if Mattison is out.

However, O’Connell’s loyalty to Mattison could be detrimental once Mattison returns from injury with the postseason approaching.