Former Eagle running back taking strides in NFL

Hayden Boudreaux

When the Vikings selected former Georgia Southern running back Jerick McKinnon in the third round of the NFL draft in May they expected a bright future for the player who won Best in Show at the NFL Combine.

Their wish might have come sooner than they expected. After an off the field incident sidelined All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson, the team went with backup Matt Asiata to fill the vacant role. McKinnon saw limited time in the first three games of the season, totaling only five carries.

On Sunday, the Vikings faced off against the Atlanta Falcons where McKinnon was given his time to shine. On only 18 carries the Eagle racked up 135 yards. At one point he broke for a 55 yard run and came up inches short of his first touchdown of his career.

Asiata is still listed as the starter for this week’s match up against the Packers. McKinnon is expected to see playing time at least until Adrian Peterson returns to the team. Either way, a lot of fantasy footballers have some changes to make.