Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu (back) is being elevated to the team's 53-man roster. Nwangwu began the season on Injured Reserve with a back injury and is ready to make his return in Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers. The 25-year-old only has 28 career touches on offense in two seasons, so he's unlikely to enter the fantasy radar. However, he earned second-team All-Pro honors as a returner last season, so he could give the Vikings a boost on special teams.
Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury on Wednesday. Nwangwu has been sidelined with his injury throughout the month of August. His placement on injured reserve, along with the release of Jalen Reagor, opened up room for the Vikings to sign running back Myles Gaskin and offensive lineman Dan Quessenberry. The loss of Nwangwu likely opens up the backup role for Ty Chandler, although Gaskin could get involved as well, once he's up to speed with his new team.
Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu (undisclosed) remained out for the team's training camp practice on Thursday. The Athletic's Alec Lewis also noted that Ty Chandler looked solid in pass protection on Thursday. Nwangwu has been out for most of camp with an undisclosed injury, which isn't helping in his cause to win a backup job behind Alexander Mattison over Chandler. Unless the 25-year-old returns to the field soon and starts impressing, it's looking like Chandler will be the favorite for primary backup duties to begin the 2023 regular season. A fourth-round selection in 2021 out of Iowa State, Nwangwu has seen just 22 carries for 75 yards and no touchdowns in 28 games (zero starts) in his first two NFL campaigns in Minnesota.
Kene Nwangwu Misses Preseason Opener Due To Injury
Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu did not play in the team's preseason opener on Thursday night against the Seattle Seahawks due to an undisclosed injury. With starter Alexander Mattison also being held out, Ty Chandler got more run and made the most of the opportunity. Chandler saw 11 carries and gained 41 yards while also catching all four of his targets for 29 yards. Neither Nwangwu nor Chandler had really been standing out in training camp in the competition for the backup role in Minnesota's backfield, but Chandler probably has the lead after his preseason performance on Thursday night. There's still time for the 25-year-old Nwangwu to state his case before the regular season, though.
Kene Nwangwu, Ty Chandler Not Running Away With Backup Job
Neither Minnesota Vikings running backs Kene Nwangwu nor Ty Chandler has run away with the backup RB job behind starter Alexander Mattison in training camp this summer, and there are questions about their abilities in pass protection. It wouldn't surprise The Athletic's Alec Lewis if the Vikings took a shot on a veteran in free agency who has experience with an early down workload. Mattison is more of a power back, while Nwangwu and Chandler are speedy backs that give the Vikings a different element in the backfield. Chandler had just six carries for 20 yards in three games in his rookie season in 2022. Mattison figures to get all the work he can handle in the first year without Dalvin Cook in his way, leaving Nwangwu and Chandler to fight for scraps.
Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu Could Battle For No. 2 Job
Early spring practices have suggested that Minnesota Vikings running backs Ty Chandler and Pro Bowl kickoff returner Kene Nwangwu could battle for the No. 2 job in the team's backfield behind Alexander Mattison if they part ways with Dalvin Cook, as expected. Chandler spent most of his rookie season in 2022 on Injured Reserve. DeWayne McBride, a seventh-round pick this year who led the nation in rushing last year, is another intriguing prospect but has been rehabbing a minor injury this spring and has yet to take part in organized team activities. If Cook isn't on the team come training camp, Chandler figures to be the most likely backup to Mattison, but we'll have a better idea of how the Vikings backfield will shake out in another month or so.
Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu carried the ball seven times for 41 yards and caught two passes for an additional 18 yards in Sunday's preseason loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The second-year back out of Iowa State will look to earn a role in the Minnesota offense this season, as he carried the ball just 13 times for 61 yards in his rookie year. Nwangwu was mostly used in the return game, showcasing his game-breaking speed on multiple occasions. As of now, he seems like a safe bet to be the RB3 behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, so his fantasy value could increase significantly if anyone ahead of him on the depth chart misses time this season.
Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Kene Nwangwu (illness) is active on Sunday for the matchup against the Detroit Lions. Nwangwu popped up on the injury report on Saturday with a non-COVID-19-related illness and was listed as questionable to play. Alexander Mattison will see the bulk of the backfield touches with Dalvin Cook (shoulder) sidelined, but Nwangwu should also have a role as a change of pace behind Mattison. The Lions have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game (133.9) and the third-most fantasy points per game to RBs this year, so Mattison has RB1 upside as a plug-and-play option. Nwangwu could have some room to run, too, but it's debatable whether he'll see enough touches to carry standalone value in deep PPR leagues as a flex.
Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Kene Nwangwu (illness) is now listed as questionable for Week 13 against the Detroit Lions. Late additions to the injury report usually aren't a good sign, and with Dalvin Cook (shoulder) out this weekend, the Vikings could be dangerously thin at the position behind Alexander Mattison if Nwangwu is unable to play Sunday. Minnesota has rookie AJ Rose and Jake Bargas on the practice squad, so they could elevate one or both of them to the active roster if Nwangwu can't recover in time for Sunday's game. Nwangwu was expected to have a role as the change-of-pace behind Mattison against Detroit, but Mattison is expected to see the lion's share of the work.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said that rookie running back Kene Nwangwu will be involved in the offense with Dalvin Cook (shoulder) out at least the next two weeks with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. "He wants to be involved in the offense and we'll find some ways to use him," Zimmer said. Alexander Mattison should carry the load for the Vikes with Cook sidelined, but Nwangwu, who has two kickoff returns for touchdowns in his rookie season, should also have an elevated role as the change-of-pace back behind Mattison. The 23-year-old has only two carries for 16 yards on the season, but he'll be facing a terrible Detroit Lions run defense in Week 13, putting him on the RB4/flex radar in deep leagues.
