Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Thursday that he anticipates Cook, who saw 25 touches and was on the field for 51 of the Vikings' 65 offensive snaps in the Week 1 win over the Saints, to continue filling a large workload out of the backfield this season, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports. "[Cook's] a really good player so we want him to touch the ball," Shurmur said.
Cook's touch count alone would provide reason to be bullish about his prospects moving forward, but it was he did with those opportunities (127 yards on the ground, 10 yards through the air) that should really excite fantasy owners. While Cook's production comes with the caveat that it came against a Saints defense that's been one of the league's weaker units in recent seasons, the rookie's three-down skill set and big-play ability should make him a threat in just about any matchup. It helps Cook's cause that Latavius Murray, who the Vikings signed to a three-year, $15 million contract in March, was slowed for much of the training camp and the preseason while recovering from ankle surgery, and didn't provide much impact in Week 1. Murray played only three snaps and logged six yards on two carries.