Summer Sleeper: Minnesota Vikings

Jacob Feldman

sleeperseriesWith less than a month before all training camps have opened around the NFL, we begin our annual series focusing on a few sleepers from all 32 teams in the NFL.

These sleepers all have varying levels of “sleeperness,” but all merit a little more talking about here in the Premium Content section. Some of these players are deep dynasty sleepers who could merit a spot on your bench in a deep league, while others are players who may contribute a little faster than the deep prospects, but deserve more attention than they may be getting. By definition, a sleeper could mean something a little different to everyone, but we’re simply doing the best job we can to unearth one player from each team who fits the category in some way, shape or form.

We’ll never insult you with a comprehensive list of “sleepers” that includes such names as Lamar Miller, Chris Ivory or Danny Amendola. You’re all too good for that.

While many of these players will undoubtedly fizzle, there’s more value in looking more closely at these deeper prospects and players. We invite you to keep an open mind and either or re-assess your value on those who may be rostered in your league or consider adding a few of these deeper prospects we focus on this Summer who are free agents in your league – after all, some are destined to pan out, too.

Feel free to add your own comments about our choices for the designated sleepers, or nominate one of your own!

When you look at the roster of the 2012 Minnesota Vikings, it’s pretty tough to believe they were a playoff team. Their defense outside of Jared Allen was either old or unproven and their offense really only had two good players and neither one was the quarterback. The fact they made the playoffs with a quarterback who threw for under 3,000 yards should all be credited to one man (assuming you still consider him human), and that’s Adrian Peterson. There were multiple games where he had more rushing yards than Christian Ponder had passing yards.

The 2013 Vikings look a little bit different on the offensive side of the ball thanks to the departure of Percy Harvin to Seattle and the additions of veteran Greg Jennings and first round pick Cordarrelle Patterson. I think the changes are actually a small step backwards from last season just because Patterson is very raw and Jennings was made to look better than he really was thanks to the talent of Aaron Rodgers.

Behind Jennings and Patterson are Jerome Simpson and Jarius Wright. Simpson is very talented and was actually my sleeper pick for the Vikings last year. Unfortunately, he really didn’t do much for them and I don’t see why that would be different this year. Wright is in the mold of Harvin, but not nearly as talented. I also see Patterson taking on more of that hybrid role like Harvin, leaving Wright without much of a place unless Patterson struggles. So, let’s dig even deeper still to take a look at two players that have a chance to climb the ranks because they have talent, but also have some issues. Neither player should really be rostered in normal size leagues, but they are players to keep an eye on.

Joe Webb, WR MIN

Age: 26 (11/14/86)

joewebbThe fourth year player out of UAB was drafted by Brad Childress as a super athletic quarterback. That experiment failed and the Vikings are ready to admit Webb just isn’t an NFL-caliber quarterback. However, he is a terrific athlete and too good for the Vikings to give up on entirely. For that reason, they have shifted him to wide receiver full time.

At 6’4” and 220 pounds with 4.44 wheels, Webb is a definitely size/speed guy that NFL teams love to take a chance on. The problem is that he doesn’t have much experience playing as a receiver. The reports out of spring activities were that Webb was doing a nice job of catching passes but he was really struggling with running routes. That much is to be expected though as he makes the transition. The Vikings could try to get him the ball out in space or on screens where he doesn’t need to run routes.

The problem is the Vikings drafted a very talented, yet raw receiver in the first round this year.  If anyone gets those opportunities out in space or coming out of the backfield, it is more likely it would be Patterson and not Webb. Webb might be relegated to punt and kick returns for the time being, but if he can learn quickly he might eventually see the field in four receiver sets.

Greg Childs, WR MIN

Age: 23 (03/10/90)

Just looking at his talent, Childs should have been a first round pick in the 2012 NFL draft. He is big (6’3”, 217 pounds), fast, runs nice routes and catches the ball really well. The problem was that he was coming off of a torn patellar tendon that impacted his 2011 performance and scared a lot of teams away. The bad dream turned into a nightmare when Childs became tangled up with a defender in practice last summer and tore not one but both patellar tendons which brings the grand total up to three patellar tendon tears.

There are very few players in the NFL who experience this kind of injury let alone multiple of them making it very difficult to know what to expect from it in terms of a timetable. The most famous player to suffer multiple patellar tears was Cadillac Williams.  He returned to the field and played several more years but had lost some of his explosive ability that made him what he was.

Fortunately for Childs, he had a ton of talent and a great work ethic. He reported resumed running and cutting back in May and has even bulked up to 225 pounds after spending the last 11 months in the gym. If he can come back close to his old form he would easily be one of the most talented players in the receiving corps of the Vikings, a team that desperately needs some quality receivers. That is a pretty big if, though.

jacob feldman