Last Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings unveiled U.S. Bank Stadium to the world and did so in impressive fashion, out dueling the division rival Green Bay Packers, 17-14. The game was an intense battle that had fans’ hearts racing from start to finish. In a game in which Sam Bradford had only two weeks to prepare, few expected it to unfold as it did as Bradford was convincingly the better quarterback on the field. Surprisingly, Aaron Rodgers struggled to hold onto the ball as the Packers’ offensive line had little answer for the Vikings’ daunting pass rush.
Filling in for the injured Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes blanketed Jordy Nelson for most of the night and with the exception of a couple of bad penalties, looked outstanding in coverage. He came up with a crucial interception late in the fourth quarter, putting the nail in Green Bay’s coffin. Stefon Diggs was nothing short of exceptional again and carried the offense for the second straight week. With the more productive Bradford in at quarterback, he managed to improve on his week one numbers, coming down with nearly 200 yards receiving.
Murphy’s Law — what can wrong will go wrong — is being applied to the Vikings in dominating force. They first lost quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, to a non-contact season ending knee injury and now have been struck again as both Adrian Peterson and Matt Kalil suffered injuries in week two. Kalil’s injury has ended his season early and Peterson is in jeopardy of losing his as well. The Vikings will continue to move forward on their march to the Super Bowl and will be relying on the next man up to see them through.
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Often compared to the Purple People Eaters, The Dreaded Norsemen are creating a name for themselves. Mike Zimmer has put together a very special defensive unit, one that does not come but once or maybe twice a lifetime. They are loaded with young talent and depth, with the potential of being a special group for a long time.
Those who did watch Sunday’s primetime affair between the Vikings and the Packers were witnessing history. It is not likely many will forget where they were for the Vikings’ first regular season home game in U.S. Bank Stadium. It was perhaps Minnesota’s finest hour under the tutelage of Zimmer. The contest lived up to its billing and it’s doubtful that it could have been much more memorable of an experience to open the Vikings’ new stadium.
Not only was it the Vikings’ inaugural game in U.S. Bank Stadium, it was Bradford’s debut with the team. The matchup was ripe of side stories that only added to the game’s intrigue: Digg’s explosion, Peterson’s injury, the duel between Waynes and Nelson, Rodgers’ turnovers and the list goes. This was a true edge-of-your-seat, nailbiter. The Vikings have yet to disappoint this season and will look to create another memorable victory this Sunday in Carolina.
Sam Bradford – Quarterback
There is no longer a question or controversy at quarterback for the Vikings in week three. Last Sunday against the Packers, Bradford proved he can be a star quarterback in the NFL. He came out and carried himself with great poise on the NFL’s biggest stage. Unnerved, it was a nearly flawless performance from Bradford who completed 22 of 31 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns. It is even more impressive considering he did it with only two weeks of preparation and during the distraction of Peterson’s deflating injury.
This week Bradford will have to continue to keep his wits about him when he faces a staunch Panthers’ defense. He’s going to need better protection up front this week as Carolina is not nearly as forgiving as Green Bay’s defense. The Panthers’ defensive unit is the sixth overall ranked defense and is seventh against the pass and 11th versus the run.
Bradford looked to have superstar potential last Sunday and if he can play at a level again this week, he should be able to find success against the stingy Panthers’ defensive backfield. He displayed great confidence in Diggs as he looked the young receiver’s way early and often. If the duo is able to maintain their connection from week two they should be able to find a way to exploit Carolina’s secondary.
Bradford could also find big production off of play-action if the offense is able to finally get the run game going. Consider Bradford a low-end QB1 and high QB2 against an imposing Panther’s defense. He makes for a great play in two quarterback leagues. If Bradford continues to play well, it could be his job to lose next year.
Adrian Peterson
Heartbreak befell Vikings’ fans last week as the air in the stadium was let out when Peterson stayed down and was clutching his right leg. The crowd fell to a silent hush after a first down rush for a gain of five yards with 3:31 left in the third quarter.
The injury appeared to occur when one of the Packers’ defenders appeared to have latched onto his leg while wrapping his own around Peterson’s and attempting to drag him down. It was hard to watch as he hobbled with assistance down the tunnel on his way to the locker room. The look of horror and devastation on the future hall-of-famer’s face was unmistakable.
Peterson underwent surgery on Thursday morning to repair the damage to his knee, after it was discovered that he tore his MCL. The recovery is expected to keep Peterson away from game action for the next three or four months with a December return at the earliest, with there still being a good chance that he is sidelined for the remainder of the fantasy season.
Jerick McKinnon or Matt Asiata
With Peterson out of the lineup, both Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata should see their role increase. Zimmer has said that McKinnon will get start at running back on Sunday in Carolina but Asiata will also receive carries in some kind of a mix. Asiata is the favorite to handle goal line and short yardage work. On the season he has out snapped McKinnon ten to three and was more productive of the two when filling in for Peterson in 2014.
Though McKinnon is more talented, Asiata could end up being the more productive fantasy work if he sees the work around the goal line as expected. Asiata is more of a power back and downhill runner who likes to run between the tackles. McKinnon on the other hand is agile and brings an element of finesse to the Vikings’ running game. As the better blocking back, Asiata could ultimately out touch McKinnon depending on game flow.
In the wake of Peterson’s injury, the Vikings appear to be headed for a committee at running back. In what looks to be a 60-40 split favoring McKinnon over Asiata, Minnesota will look to get their ground game going against a Panthers’ defense that is allowing just 3.9 yards per carry.
One encouraging sign for McKinnon heading into week three’s contest is that, according to Football Outsiders, Carolina ranks 25th when defending running backs in the passing game and appear vulnerable on the left side ranking 32nd when defending passes in that direction. McKinnon’s ability to catch passes out of the backfield could lead to a big day for him in Minnesota’s aerial assault.
The Vikings’ also signed free agent running back, Ronnie Hillman, for added depth in the backfield. It is doubtful he has much of a contribution, if at all, this week against the Panthers. McKinnon and Asiata figure to see most of the work this week at running back, though, McKinnon is nursing an injured toe which could shift more of the workload to Asiata in the event it becomes a problem for him.
Against a strong Carolina defense, McKinnon is a risky RB2 despite the increased workload and makes for a solid RB3 play this week. Asiata is in much the same position as McKinnon is this week, but his role as the goal line back gives him a greater opportunity to make a fantasy impact this week. He will be an RB3 on Sunday with high-end RB2 potential, while Hillman is nothing more than a stash at this point.
Stefon Diggs
Diggs’ remarkable start to the year continued in week two where he put up 182 yards receiving and a touchdown, leading all fantasy wideouts for the week. So far on the season, he is tied for second in fantasy points scored and is only three behind the leader, Kelvin Benjamin.
Many were skeptical that Diggs would even match his production from last year, let alone explode onto the scene like has. No one expected Diggs would play at this high of a level. He has all the makings and tools of Antonio Brown and so far has filled a very similar role in the Vikings’ offense. He continues to create separation and elude defenders on a routine basis, no matter who is throwing him the ball.
Diggs will face his toughest challenge of the season when he goes up against a Panthers’ defense that ranks eighth when matching up with opposing WR1’s and seventh against the pass overall. Without the threat of Peterson, defenses will now turn their attention and focus to slowing down Diggs. Though it may hurt Diggs’ value it should have the effect of opening up the offense for his teammates. Diggs should be considered a low-level WR1 or a high-end WR2 for Sunday’s tilt in Carolina.
Charles Johnson
Even with Bradford at quarterback, Johnson still struggled to have a role in the passing the game, catching both of his lone targets for 15 yards. After a promising training camp and preseason, Johnson was considered to have a resurgence to his 2014 form. Perhaps with Diggs soaking up so much of the spotlight, he’ll garner extra heat, allowing Johnson to find his way back into the offense. After all, it is only two weeks into the season, however, he is beginning to look more and more like a boom or bust commodity. It’s only a matter of time before he cedes time to first-round-pick Laquon Treadwell. Right now he is just keeping the seat warm.
Laquon Treadwell
A healthy scratch again on Sunday, the young wideout was among the team’s week two inactives. Expect the Vikings to deploy Treadwell in a similar manner as to how Diggs was eased into the offense last year. He didn’t see the field until the fourth game and it is likely Treadwell will be held out until the team’s week four contest against the New York Giants on Monday night.
He is nothing more than a stash at this point, as Treadwell should be left on the bench again this week. There is a chance he could see the field this week, with the absence of Peterson, as the Vikings search for ways to replace his production and put playmakers on the field.
Cordarrelle Patterson
Apart from an end around that went for minus two yards, Patterson was a non factor in the Vikings’ offense again. It is nice to see the Vikings calling plays to get the ball into his hands, but with his athleticism, he needs to be a bigger part of this offense. Maybe it’s time the team thought about moving him over to running back. Patterson also logged two kick returns for 62 yards. With Johnson struggling, it’s about time the team decided to give Patterson a longer look. Until he begins to show consistent and meaningful production, he can be ignored for fantasy purposes.
Adam Thielen
The division II product and Minnesota Native, continues to be a key member in the offense, hauling in four passes on five targets for 41 yards. Thielen is continuing to get looks out of the slot and now has eight grabs on 10 targets for 95 yards. He was third on the team in targets only behind Diggs and Rudolph. Thielen is a grinder who keeps coming up with tough catches in critical situations.
Bigger games are ahead for Thielen as he gains the trust of Bradford and week three’s games in Carolina could be one of those games. Diggs and Johnson may have difficulty getting open on Sunday resulting of plenty of checkdown work as Bradford goes through his reads. Look for the Vikings to go with a lot of short quick-hitting routes to keep the Panthers off-balance and to reduce exposing Bradford to risk behind Minnesota’s shaky offensive line. The Purple Punisher makes for a reliable flex option, with great sleeper appeal in this tough week three road dalliance.
Kyle Rudolph
Rudolph again was an essential piece of the offense, getting eight targets and converting three receptions into 31 yards and a touchdown. Though it was nice to see him score and be targeted in the red zone, Rudolph needs to be more efficient with his targets or he might start to lose opportunities to the stable of capable young tight ends behind him, who are hungry for a chance to get their hands on the ball.
The Panthers are the 17th ranked defense against tight ends through two games, which bodes well for Rudolph in week three. Another eight targets could be in his future as the Vikings will look to get the ball out of Bradford’s hands quickly this week. Against Carolina’s middling coverage of tight ends, Rudolph should have plenty of opportunity in this week three matchup. He’s a borderline TE1 to TE2 and is worth a start in most leagues.
Defense and Special Teams
Despite missing two key pieces on defenses in Xavier Rhodes and Sharrif Floyd, the Vikings’ defense continued to excel last week against the Packers. Minnesota is hopeful that Rhodes will return to the field this Sunday as he has started to practice again with the team. Floyd, however, also had surgery on Thursday to clean up some cartilage in his knee but as of now, no timetable has been given for his return.
Waynes started in place of Rhodes and displayed the first-round potential he was drafted for. At times the moment seemed too big for him, but was able to regain his composure and recovered quickly. It was a dominant performance from the second-year defensive back. With the Floyd the situation is a bit different. The Vikings don’t have a young talented kid waiting in the wings to slide in and take over. Instead, Minnesota will again go back to a rotation with Shamar Stephen, Tom Johnson and Linval Joseph.
Through two weeks Minnesota has been fantasy’s best defense, averaging 17.5 points per game as a defense. On average they are scoring three and a half more points than the next closest team. The Vikings’ defense is also averaging 1 interception with 2 fumble recoveries and 1 touchdown per game. Minnesota’s defense is getting it done in all facets of the game. They have yet to give up 100 yards rushing or 300 yards passing to an opposing offense.
Minnesota’s defense certainly has the talent and ability to keep the Panthers seventh ranked offense in check on Sunday. Their eighth ranked rushing attack will be without its lead back, Jonathan Stewart, as the Vikings will look to keep another team under the century mark.
The secondary will have to continue its stellar play and find a way to keep Kelvin Benjamin and the Carolina receivers in check. Limiting the wideouts’ production will be essential as the Vikings attempt to apply pressure to Cam Newton and fluster the emotional quarterback. When Newton gets frustrated he begins to make mistakes, and with him, mistakes lead to more mistakes as the frustration mounts and he self-destructs.
Minnesota is the top-rated defensive unit for good reason. This is a determined group who has found a way to get it done each week. The Vikings’ defense has put the game on their backs each week and have come up with the big play when they needed it most. Week three won’t be any different as the Vikings are going to need big plays out of their defense to win this slugfest. Minnesota’s highly-rated defense will be a must start this week and throughout the season.
Blair Walsh
Walsh needed to atone last Sunday versus the Packers and did just that after his down trodden week one performance, in which he missed two field goals (37, 56) and one extra point. This time he connected on his only field goal of the day, coming from 46-yards out and converted both of his extra point attempts.
After week one’s hiccup, Walsh looks to have gotten back on track, again, and found his confidence. The Vikings head to Carolina, where Walsh will be back kicking outdoors, where he has had most of his struggles. When kicking within the confines of a controlled indoor environment, he appears to have little difficulties. Perhaps Walsh has grown too comfortable from practicing indoors at Winter Park. It is almost as if he is overcompensating when confronted with the unfamiliar element of the weather.
Hopefully Walsh will take some extra reps before the game and get acclimated to the environment and weather conditions. On the field he looks tense and rushed. Walsh need to relax and be patient while taking the time to line his kicks up and envision them sailing through the uprights.
Walsh remains a must start in all formats due to the large number of opportunities he sees per game. Sunday figures to be another high-volume day for Walsh. The potential and opportunities should be there for him to turn in a top-10 performance with another productive week three.
Fallout
Season impacting injuries to key players — Teddy Bridgewater, Adrian Peterson, Matt Kalil and Sharrif Floyd — are already beginning to pile up for the Vikings, while the third week of the season has only barely begun to get underway. So far Minnesota has responded by calling the next man up or finding a replacement, as they move on from the injuries. The season does not stop for injuries and the Vikings cannot afford to either.
Week three will prove to be the greatest test of the Vikings’ mettle yet. Sunday’s matchup with Carolina will be a good measure of where Minnesota is at and how they stack up with a Super Bowl contender. The game will reveal a lot about who this team is and where they are going. There still is much hope alive in Minnesota.
Unwarranted Advice
When selecting players from the waiver wire, it is best for fantasy owners not to take this process lightly. Making the right selection can have dire impacts and make or break a fantasy season. It is important to thoroughly evaluate each candidate as if it were an employee evaluation or Presidential election.
Locking into one or too few stats can provide a narrow focus that ignores other key elements and trends. Though someone may have been fantasy’s fourth highest scoring player, it is important to understand how those points were scored. What trends can be identified; were the points gathered in bunches or were they from a steady stream of production? Do they translate to streaky patches or a consistent source of points on a weekly basis?
Fantasy football is played week to week and not season to season. Researching waiver adds more thoroughly can provide owners with insight they may have otherwise overlooked. It could mean the difference between a boom or bust commodity and a solid weekly contributor.
Taking the time to look through old game logs and previous matchup history may offer a leg up on the competition and help to identify potential breakout stars and sleeper candidates in advance of opposing owners. Being a week or even a day too late could mean a missed opportunity in acquiring a true game-altering fantasy contributor. The best way to avoid this is being better informed and before the competition.
– Miles Dittberner, is a Managing Editor at cover32 and covers the Minnesota Vikings. Like and follow vikings32 on Facebook and Twitter.
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