Mattison's Career Year Ironically Shifted vs. Raiders

Originally posted on FanNation Raider Maven
By Aidan Champion | Last updated 3/19/24

The Las Vegas Raiders made an important move by signing former Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison on Monday.

Regardless of where Mattison ends up on the depth chart by the start of the 2024 season, his presence adds depth to a room that recently lost one of the best running backs in the game, Josh Jacobs, to free agency.

Mattison comes off a career season, making 13 starts in 16 games. The former third-round pick was on a roll for roughly the first three-quarters of the 2023 campaign, making 13 consecutive starts. He had only started six games in his previous four seasons.

Unfortunately for Mattison, his momentum was halted against the Raiders in Week 14 when he suffered an ankle injury early in the second half of the contest. He finished the game with 66 rushing yards, which led all players.

The contest came down to a 0-0 stalemate with two minutes left in the game before Minnesota made a field goal with just 1:57 remaining.

Mattison missed the Vikings' next game against the Cincinnati Bengals before returning to play the Detroit Lions in Week 16. Even then, the injury hindered the veteran's season the rest of the way.

Mattison recorded -1 yards on just two carries against Detroit. This was also his only game of the season in which he was not targeted for a pass.

The following week, Mattison saw just 21 offensive snaps against the Green Bay Packers. He finished the contest with 17 rushing yards on three carries and 13 yards on two receptions.

In Minnesota's final game of the season, Mattison played only 23 offensive snaps, posting 24 rushing yards on seven carries.

Mattison finished the season with a career-best 700 rushing yards.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

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This article first appeared on FanNation Raider Maven and was syndicated with permission.

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