Former Vikings RB Explodes at Training Camp
Alexander Mattison’s conclusion with the Minnesota Vikings may not have been rosy, and he might’ve struggled last year with the Las Vegas Raiders, but those factoids apparently don’t matter in 2025.
A former Vikings running back is turning heads in training camp with his new club, showing burst, vision, and speed that have coaches buzzing. Can he make it last?
The Miami Dolphins signed the ex-Vikings tailback this offseason, hoping to kickstart his post-purple career in the AFC East.
And according to several observations at training camp, Mattison is trending in the right direction.
Training Camp Has Been Kind to Alexander Mattison
The veteran halfback could have a larger role than folks expected.
Alexander Mattison Has Evidently Thrived at Dolphins Training Camp
When Mattison signed with the Dolphins in March, most Vikings fans thought something along the lines of, “Oh, that’s not going to work out.”
That crowd might’ve got that wrong.
Dolphins insider Travis Wingfield tweeted Wednesday, “Alexander Mattison is having the type of camp that is impossible to ignore. It’s not live and it’s tough to see the full complement of a back in this setting, but the way he’s seeing it and hitting it at full speed translates.”
“He’s got another chunk winding one back at full acceleration. He looks to be a find by this Dolphins staff.”
That reporting echoes other Dolphins-themed media, so Mattison is on the right track at training camp.
Two Quiet Seasons in 2023 and 2024
Minnesota handed the RB1 baton to Mattison in 2023 after his pal, Dalvin Cook, left in free agency. Fans were willing to give Mattison the benefit of the doubt. Well, Mattison did not perform well in the RB1 role that season, failing to convert short-yardage first downs and almost refusing to score rushing touchdowns altogether.
In fact, down the stretch of 2023, the Vikings turned to Ty Chandler for RB1 duty, and he promptly kickstarted the rushing offense.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah released Mattison last offseason, nudging him into a relationship with the Raiders, where he tabulated 420 rushing yards all season, with a 3.2 yards per carry average.
Similar to the Vikings in the 2024 offseason, Las Vegas did not want Mattison back in 2025, and he signed in Miami.
The Dolphins’ RBs
These are the Dolphins’ tailbacks and fullbacks entering the preseason:
- De’Von Achane
- Jaylen Wright
- Alexander Mattison
- Ollie Gordon II
- Alec Ingold (Fullback)
Because Gordon II is a promising rookie, many thought Mattison could be cut at the end of the summer. Gordon II is a 6th-Rounder and has more youth and upside than Mattison.
However, the Wingfield reporting pumps the brakes on that theory.
An Odd Fit in Miami … That Is Working?
Meanwhile, Miami’s offense is generally predicated on speed. Mattison doesn’t have that and has never showcased the trait in his toolkit. He can hurdle defenders and occasionally run over some of them. But speed isn’t his jam.
Somehow, though, the fit is working for both parties, at least through two weeks of training camp.
The other strange part? If a running back isn’t a “speed guy,” he’d better be able to convert short-yardage situations — something Mattison has struggled with in the last couple of seasons.
More on Mattison
SI.com‘s Dante Collinelli weighed in on Mattison and Miami’s running back room this week.
He noted, “De’Von Achane was locked in at RB1, and the team invested a lot into Jaylen Wright, along with selecting Ollie Gordon II in the sixth round of the 2025 draft. Mattison had a role, but he was far from locked into the rotation. Now, it would be shocking to see him not make the final roster.”
“In fact, it seems more likely that he could compete with Wright for RB2 touches at some point. The Dolphins certainly want him to prepare for a bigger role. It will be incredibly interesting to see how the Dolphins handle the running back room if Mattison continues playing well.”
Mattison turned 27 this summer.
Collinelli continued, “Achane still will get most of the carries, but given what the Dolphins invested in Wright, they might be inclined to play him over Mattison. Still, it’s hard not to wonder if a team that wants to focus more on physicality and culture will put that aside and at least start the season with Mattison being a more prominent part of the offense.”
“It’s still early in camp, and we’ll likely learn a lot more by how carries are distributed during preseason games, but don’t count out Mattison in the team’s running back rotation this season.”
The next step for Mattison is to ensure a 53-man roster spot, which he will learn in about 2.5 weeks.
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