Vikings rookie running back Jerick McKinnon continued to distance himself from Matt Asiata Week 8 at Tampa Bay, getting more than three times as many carries as his predecessor for a third straight game. And he once again did fine with those carries, all 16 of them, picking up 83 yards.
But his Fantasy owners were once again left wanting for more. Why? He didn't get in the end zone and in fact hasn't as either a rusher or receiver all season.
Week 8 seemed like the perfect time to end that drought. The Buccaneers entered the day ranked 25th against the run and have a poor defense in general. And yet they limited the Vikings to 19 points, six of which the defense provided in overtime.
That's sort of the problem for McKinnon. The Vikings, with their other shortcomings on offense, don't put him in position to score all that often, and whenever they do, they may opt for the more powerful Asiata instead. We don't really know because they haven't had many chances to tip their hand since McKinnon took over.
Certainly, McKinnon's performance the last few weeks has been encouraging enough for you to start him in Fantasy, but he's a better fit as a flex option than a second running back.