The Minnesota Vikings‘ decision to part ways with veteran running back Dalvin Cook may have been the correct financial decision heading into the 2023 NFL season, but the team certainly did not receive the type of rushing production they were hoping for from Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler last year.
After the team signed an accomplished veteran tailback to potentially lead this backfield in touches this upcoming season, what can fantasy football managers expect from Chandler in 2024?
Should You Select Ty Chandler at His Current ADP?
PPR Industry Consensus ADP: 150th Overall (RB45)
- Improved Role in 2023: Chandler made strides in his second NFL season, finishing as RB48 in full-PPR formats with 461 rushing yards, 159 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. His role expanded significantly after the season-ending injury to Cam Akers and Alexander Mattison’s struggles.
- Late-Season Surge: Chandler was a non-factor early in 2023, with just 13 touches in the first nine games. However, he averaged 13 touches per game over the final eight weeks, including a standout performance in Week 15 against the Bengals, where he racked up 157 total yards and a touchdown.
- Competition for Touches: Chandler will have to contend with veteran running back Aaron Jones, who joined the Vikings after Mattison’s departure. Jones’ arrival likely means Chandler will continue in a complementary role, similar to last season.
- Efficiency and Skill Set: Chandler’s 5.0 yards per touch ranked inside the top 20 among running backs in 2023, indicating he has the potential to contribute even in a limited role. However, his ability to maintain consistent fantasy value in 2024 remains uncertain, especially with a rookie quarterback leading the offense.
- ADP Analysis: Chandler’s current ADP in the 13th round (RB45) places him among other late-round options like Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, and Tyler Allgeier. His role as a complementary back and potential handcuff to Jones makes him a reasonable dart throw at this stage in drafts.
- Final Verdict: While Chandler showed flashes of potential last season, his role behind Aaron Jones limits his fantasy ceiling. He’s best viewed as a late-round pick with handcuff upside, making him a solid choice for depth in the later rounds of fantasy drafts.
PFN Consensus PPR Fantasy Ranking for Ty Chandler
Note that these rankings are the PFN Consensus Rankings and may not fully match my analysis. Since Chandler is ranked outside the top 75 in the PFN Consensus Rankings, we’ve listed the consensus RB rankings instead.
43) Chuba Hubbard, RB | Carolina Panthers
44) Antonio Gibson, RB | New England Patriots
45) Rico Dowdle, RB | Dallas Cowboys
46) Jaleel McLaughlin, RB | Denver Broncos
47) Tyler Allgeier, RB | Atlanta Falcons
48) Ty Chandler, RB | Minnesota Vikings
49) Kendre Miller, RB | New Orleans Saints
50) MarShawn Lloyd, RB | Green Bay Packers
51) Roschon Johnson, RB | Chicago Bears
52) Ray Davis, RB | Buffalo Bills
53) J.K. Dobbins, RB | Los Angeles Chargers
Ty Chandler’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
Chandler’s second pro season certainly was a huge step in the right direction regarding his role expanding in the Vikings’ offense. His 461 rushing yards (at 4.52 yards per carry), 159 receiving yards on 21 receptions, and three total TDs helped Chandler finish as the RB48 in full-PPR formats while operating in a complementary role for the vast majority of the year.
These numbers still require a bit of context. Chandler saw just 13 total touches through the first nine games of the 2023 season. His average of just over one touch per game made him a complete non-factor for any fantasy roster to start the year.
Yet, once Cam Akers suffered a season-ending injury and Mattison’s efficiency issues didn’t improve, Chandler saw an expanded role over the final eight games of the season — averaging 13 total touches per game while still having some efficient outings. His best game came in Week 15 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He had 23 carries for 132 yards and three receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown.
Chandler’s efficiency and three-down skill set could make him a very interesting fantasy prospect this year. However, he will have to contend with the highly efficient veteran running back Aaron Jones this season for touches, who signed this offseason after Mattison took his talents to Las Vegas.
Chandler’s 5.0 yards per touch ranked inside the top 20 at the running back position, suggesting he could still be a fantasy contributor even in a complementary role. Yet, I’m not sure he was dynamic enough last year to suggest he has reliable stand-alone fantasy value in 2024 in an offense that will likely go through some growing pains with a rookie quarterback under center.
Is Chandler a Good Value in Fantasy Drafts?
Chandler’s ADP currently sits at No. 150 overall, going off the board in the 13th round as the RB45 in fantasy drafts. For some additional context, this means he is currently being drafted in the same range as Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, and Tyler Allgeier.
The assumption that can be made by looking at the contract the Vikings gave Jones this offseason is that the veteran is going to lead this backfield, which could leave Chandler with a similar complementary role to what we saw from him last year.
Jones does have a lengthy track record of working in tandem with another back during his career, but this still doesn’t guarantee Chandler a significant bump in volume from his 123 touches last year.
Sure, he can occasionally have monster fantasy performances if he pops a big play, and he does possess some handcuff value if Jones has similar durability issues to his 2023 season. However, Chandler ultimately falls in the bucket of late-round dart throws with handcuff upside — which is properly priced for a 12th-round pick in fantasy drafts.