Dalvin Cook Favored to Lead NFL in Rushing After Barkley Injury

• Vikings running back jumped from +375 to +220 following three strong performances
• Ezekiel Elliott led NFL in rushing in 2018 with 1,434 yards
• Cowboys star running back given +250 to defend rushing title

Dalvin Cook has emerged as the favorite to win the 2019 NFL rushing crown.

In the latest season prop odds and lists the Minnesota Vikings running back at +220 to win the rushing title this season.

With  Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants reportedly sidelined for 4-8 weeks with a high ankle sprain, is Cook the best bet of the remaining running backs?

Odds to Win 2019 NFL Rushing Yards Title

Odds taken September 25.

Barkley’s injury altered the betting lines significantly as Cook went from +275 after Week 2 to the +220 favorite heading into Week 4.

Cook has been off to hot start to the season, rushing for 100-plus yards in Minnesota’s three opening games. Cook’s best game was against the Packers, rushing for 154 yards and a touchdown.

Dalvin Cook's footwork is silly 😱😱 @dalvincook pic.twitter.com/F82C0ALbyL

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) September 22, 2019

The third-year running back leads the NFL with 375 rushing yards going into Week 4 action. Cook’s impressive start has the Vikings ranked second overall in rushing yards (581) and rushing yards per game average (193.7). Minnesota’s seven rushing touchdowns ranks first overall in the league.

Can Cook sustain these numbers or will we see a drop off in production?

Numbers don’t lie.
Tape doesn’t lie.

Brian Westbrook says Dalvin Cook is the best RB in the league right now 👀

(@LefkoeShow | @Walmart) pic.twitter.com/mUTR1oJyXf

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 24, 2019

The Vikings have a few games against extremely tough defenses, including matchups against the Chicago Bears in Week 4 and Week 16, so Cook’s path to a potential rushing title won’t come easy.

Don’t Count Out Zeke

Although Cook has the best offensive numbers through three weeks of action, Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys — the 2016 and 2018 rushing champion — cannot be ignored.

At +250, there is still a ton of value in betting on Elliott, who has 289 rushing yards heading into Week 4. Elliott won the rushing crown last season with 1,434 yards and six TDs.

After Week 2 of the NFL season, Elliott was third on the board at +500 behind both Barkley and Cook. Zeke rushed for 100-plus yards in two of Dallas’ opening three games, including 122 in a Week 3 win over Miami.

The Cowboys have had a well-balanced offensive attack in the first three games of the season, which has helped the team stay unbeaten at 3-0. Because of Elliott’s strong start, the Cowboys rank third overall in rushing yards per game average (179).

Week 3 pic.twitter.com/ECUEc3ls7U

— Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) September 22, 2019

McCaffrey Moving Up The Ranks

A player moving up the ranks and one to certainly keep a close watch on is Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, who jumped from +1400 to +900 from at the start of Week 2 to the end of Week 3.

With Barkley out for a significant period of time, McCaffrey moved up after opening the season with a monster performance. McCaffrey rushed for 153 yards and a TD in the Panthers’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3.

The key with McCaffrey will be consistency. Both Cook and Elliott are are capable of producing 100-yard rushing performances on a consistent basis, while McCaffrey is now dealing with an offense led by Kyle Allen.

McCaffrey has still managed to rank second overall in rushing heading into Week 4, posting 311 yards.

The Best Of The Rest

After the frontrunners, who are some value picks or long shots worth betting on to win the 2019 rushing crown?

Marlon Mack has benefited from Indianapolis becoming a run-heavy team. The Colts running back is listed at +1200 after Jacoby Brissett took over as the starter.

After Andrew Luck announced his retirement, the Colts focused on making their run game stronger and Mack has led the way. With 299 rushing yards through three games, Mack ranks third overall in that stat and looks to get stronger with each passing week.

https://twitter.com/COLTSTRONG1997/status/1176700463531614208

Mack, who was listed as a +750 underdog prior to Indianapolis’ Week 2 game, fell to +1200 on the board. Following two strong rushing performances, Mack exploded for 174 yards rushing in a Week 3 win over the Chargers.

Holding firm at +1600 is Derrick Henry, who has yet to break the 100-yard rushing mark in a single game this season but has certainly been on the verge of doing so. Henry should be considered a long shot, but a serious candidate based on true talent. The Tennessee Titans have had interception issues with Marcus Mariota as the number one QB, so expect Henry to see an increased workload in key situations as the season progresses.

Last time we had Titans-Jaguars on Thursday night … Derrick Henry happened 🏃💨

(via @Titans) pic.twitter.com/ua76WZeIZg

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 19, 2019

What’s the Best Bet Today?

When discussing the best running back in the NFL, Barkley is the first player mentioned, followed very closely by Elliott.

Even though Cook will continue to be near the top of the rushing yard leaders, look for the Cowboys star running back to surge to the favorites very soon.

Try to get in on Zeke at +250 while that price is still available.

Pick: Ezekiel Elliott (+250)