Dynasty Capsule: Minnesota Vikings

Jacob Feldman

vikingscapsule

As part of the premium content package, we’re again unveiling dynasty capsules for every team in the NFL leading up to free agency and the NFL Draft. This year, we’re again going to do a follow-up on all the teams after all the free agency and NFL Draft movement to assess the impact of any players teams have gained or lost. Since these capsules are always done as a simple snapshot in time, we figured that was the best way to tackle the off-season and provide ultimate value for our subscribers. All in all, we’ll have close to 500 player profiles found in these capsules over the off-season.

We continue our path through the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings.

Quarterbacks

Teddy Bridgewater

Minnesota Viking fans and Bridgewater fantasy owners should be pretty pleased with how Teddy performed during his rookie year. While it wasn’t a breakout rookie season like Andrew Luck, it was by in large a very successful year for the young man. This is especially true if you add in all of the injuries, suspensions and just plain terrible play (Cordarrelle Patterson, I’m looking at you!) by the players who were supposed to be his starting skill position guys. The season long stats won’t blow you away, but he averaged 1.5 touchdowns and 273 yards per game in the month of December while completing over 72% of his passes. That’s impressive for anyone, especially a rookie.

From a skill-set standpoint, I was a believer that Bridgewater was the most pro-ready quarterback in the 2014 NFL draft, and I think he showed that. While he doesn’t have the strongest arm and isn’t going to make a huge number of highlight reel throws, Bridgewater does have the ability to read defenses and deliver the ball accurately. Like all rookies, he struggled a bit with turnovers and getting used to bigger, stronger defenders who can close on receivers in the blink of an eye, but I expect good things from Bridgewater moving forward. I doubt he will be a fantasy QB1, but he has the making of a very solid QB2 in fantasy leagues and is a quality quarterback in 2QB leagues. The Vikings just might have found their franchise guy, but it is still early.

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Matt Cassel

Cassel is the only other quarterback on roster who is under contract for the 2015 season. If you’ve forgotten Cassel was on the Vikings roster, you probably aren’t alone. He appeared in only three games in 2014 before he suffered a very severe foot injury which included multiple broken bones as well as Lisfranc issues. Prior to the injury Cassel had more turnovers than touchdowns and was the proud owner of a completion percentage of 57%. His two complete games saw him throw for 170 and 202 yards. Needless to say, if he can come back healthy, he isn’t going to provide much if any upside, even in the deepest of leagues.

Christian Ponder (FA)

I’m including Ponder only because someone is likely to ask about the 2011 first round pick. Let me start by saying it isn’t Ponder’s fault. He should have been drafted as a third or fourth round pick in the 2011 draft in my opinion. Being taken in the first round and expected to be the face of the franchise almost immediately probably ruined any chances he had of being a serviceable NFL starter. Ponder appeared in one game for an injured Bridgewater and looked absolutely terrible. He completed only half of his passes with no touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. If you’re still hoping he turns into something down the road, it is time to cut the line on this one.

Running Backs

Adrian Peterson

The 2014 season was a very sad season for Peterson in so many different ways. I’m going to ignore all of the moral and legal issues which come with Peterson and just focus on his football future. At the current point in time, we have no idea when he will be back or what uniform he will be wearing when he does come back. Currently he can apply for reinstatement on April 15th, but that could change. Peterson has a massive salary and will turn 30 this offseason. My gut feeling is he has played his last game in purple but not his last game in the NFL.

From a skills perspective, Peterson is one of if not the greatest running back of this generation. Ignoring his one game 2014 season, Peterson has average over 100 yards from scrimmage per game and has had double digit touchdowns every year of his career. Like most of the all-time greats, I think Peterson has the ability to push past the 30 year old running back barrier and continue to be great for the first few years of his thirties if he is given the chance. There is a ton of risk, but if the price is right I’m trying to buy him.

Jerrick McKinnon

The 2014 third round selection was a very interesting pick by the Vikings. There are some who believe the very raw but extremely talented player was tagged as the eventual heir to the position, but no one expected him to see significant time in 2014. In college, McKinnon was a hybrid quarterback/running back who spent most of his time in a wildcat/read-option style of offense. For this reason he never really learned how to play the running back position from an NFL perspective. Regardless of the lack of experience and the raw nature of his talents, the Vikings liked his physical abilities enough to take him in the third round.

With Peterson suspended, McKinnon immediately took over as the primary receiving back, but it took a few weeks before he saw a lot of time as a rusher. Once he was given a chance, he looked very explosive though. He averaged over 4.8 yards per carry on his 113 carries while averaging almost three catches a game. Unfortunately he never found the end zone as the Vikings used Matt Asiata every time they got into the red zone. McKinnon went down in week 12 with a back injury and never returned, but there is definitely some promise here. If Peterson does leave the Vikings, McKinnon would most likely be the primary back on all three downs. The only question is if he would stay in near the goal line or if they would continue to switch him out. Either way, he definitely has RB2 upside in my opinion.

Matt Asiata (RFA)

Here is a fun fact for you on Asiata. Until he scored in week 15 against the Lions, Asiata had scored in only three NFL games, but all three of them were three touchdown games. Talk about a boom or bust fantasy player! Anyway, for the majority of the season, Asiata was the short yardage and red zone specialist for the Vikings, taking over for McKinnon in those situations and acting as his change of pace back. Once McKinnon went down, Asiata took over as the primary rusher and managed a very inspirational 3.68 yards per carry as the “feature” running back. He is merely a replacement level talent who will help to fill out the depth chart for someone and might function as a short yardage specialist if the Vikings resign him. There isn’t much fantasy value here.

Joe Banyard

Banyard came to the surface after McKinnon went down with the back injury. He struggled in the passing game, especially in pass protection but actually looked to be the superior rusher to Asiata. He only saw 21 carries but managed to average 4.2 yards per carry on those touches. If the Vikings focus elsewhere in free agency and the draft, there is a chance Banyard could enter the 2015 season as the backup to McKinnon, but he will likely face competition for that role from a late round or undrafted rookie. Banyard isn’t a special talent by any means, but he has the ability to be a decent backup and is someone to watch in deeper leagues given the uncertainty at the position for the Vikings.

Wide Receivers

Charles Johnson

I’m putting Johnson in the top slot for the Vikings receivers largely by default. A division II college player, Johnson didn’t perform well enough to be invited to the combine. However, his pro-day was pretty impressive. He ran a sub 4.4 second time in the 40 yard dash, showed impressive distances in the jumps, and checked in at 6’2” and 215 pounds. This put him on NFL radars as well as many radars of dynasty owners. The Packers drafted him in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. He was on their practice squad before the Browns signed him. Early in 2014 the Vikings signed him from the Browns. Due to his intriguing athletic ability and lack of talent at the wide receiver position, he rose up the depth chart.

He turned his opportunity into 12 games played with six starts and 31 receptions, 475 yards and two scores. While the numbers aren’t great by any means, he was playing almost every snap from week 12 on. Even though Bridgewater was posting pretty good numbers at that point in time, Johnson only turned those starter snaps into an average of 3.16 catches, 55 yards and a score every third game. If we expand that out over a full season, Johnson probably isn’t even a WR3. In other words, he has a little ways to go before he can be anointed as a top target on a team. He is still extremely raw, and I feel like the hype has gotten a little overblown on him already. He could be a top receiver for the Vikings one day, but he isn’t an every week fantasy starter quite yet.

Greg Jennings

The only veteran of the group, Jennings is definitely in the twilight of his career. It is very clear he has lost a step athletically. He’ll turn 32 just as the 2015 season kicks off and is due way too much money for what he brings to the table. I think it is pretty likely he will be asked to take a pay cut or just released this offseason. While his six touchdowns on the season are respectable, Jennings never topped 6 receptions nor 77 yards in any game this season. For the majority of the season he was a 3-5 reception for 50-60 yards kind of guy. While the consistency is nice for a WR3/WR4, the lack of an upside along with his age makes him an end of the roster guy in fantasy leagues.

Cordarrelle Patterson

In my opinion, Patterson was the most overhyped player in the dynasty community last offseason. The warning signs were there, but people were too wrapped up in his potential to see them. I’m not going to get too much in depth on Patterson here since I just wrote almost 2,000 words on him, but he went from a starter to playing less than ten snaps a game at the end of the season. Given the lack of other options on the Vikings, that says an awful lot.

Jarius Wright

At 5’10” and 180 pounds, Wright is about to enter the last year of his rookie contract. He is undersized, but he is a fairly explosive playmaker as his 87 yard wide receiver screen pass in week 14 against the Jets shows. While he does tend to disappear from games at times, making him a high risk option, the upside is definitely there. I don’t think he has the talent to be regular fantasy starter, but he does have enough skill to be a boom or bust WR3 if you are desperate. With Bridgewater developing and the lack of playmakers current on the Vikings, Wright should have a role in 2015.

Adam Thielen

Thielen was an undrafted rookie who is pretty much a hometown guy. Born and raised in Minnesota, he attended college at a smaller state school in Minnesota as well. While he has excelled at special teams and actually had a pair of decent games this season as a receiver, he isn’t an NFL receiver. He has decent size and speed, but it isn’t quite at the level it needs to be in order to receiver fantasy consideration. If you’re stashing him in hopes he turns into something, I think you can find better options.

Tight Ends

Kyle Rudolph

I feel like every year is supposed to be the breakout year for Rudolph, but we are still waiting. After four seasons in the league, Rudolph’s career highs are 53 receptions and 493 yards. He was on pace to top those marks by a small margin in 2013, but he only played eight games. 2014 was a step back as his pace would have had him below those levels. Over his career, Rudolph has had a hard time staying healthy and hasn’t shown to be as explosive as many hoped. He’s much more of a possession receiver at the tight end position though he is a definite red zone target with his size. The touchdown potential keeps him in the TE2 discussion, but after four years of very average performance and numerous missed games, I’m more than ready to move on from the view he is a future TE1.

Rhett Ellison & Chase Ford

With Rudolph missing time due to injuries, the door was wide open for someone else to step up and take a hold of the position. Neither Ellison nor Ford did much of anything with their chances. Both showed to be very average NFL talents with limited upside at the position. They are solid number two tight ends, but neither one has the potential to be a long term fantasy asset.

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jacob feldman