If someone told Jerick McKinnon before the 2016 season that he would end the year as the Minnesota Vikings’ leading rusher, he probably would have been pretty excited about that news. But despite setting career single-season highs in rushing yards, total yards from scrimmage, carries, and catches, it was a difficult year for the Vikings’ young running back in 2016.
After Peterson went down with a serious knee injury during Minnesota’s Week 2 win over the Green Bay Packers last season, the team turned to McKinnon to carry the load as its starting running back.
His production was okay in 2016, but he averaged almost a full two yards less per touch last year (3.