Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell said Friday that his regulars will start this weekend's game vs. the Bears but that there's a plan to potentially pull them early to get backups some reps, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. The Vikings can't get the NFC's #1 seed and can only climb from #3 to #2 with a 49ers loss to the Cardinals. QB Kirk Cousins, RB Dalvin Cook, WRs Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen and TE T.J. Hockenson are candidates to leave Sunday's game early.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell said Monday that he won't sit his starters in Sunday's regular-season finale vs. the Bears -- although he added that he could make "more subtle" adjustments to playing time. The Vikings can't get the NFC's #1 seed but are still alive for the #2 seed with a win plus a loss by the 49ers. Minnesota kicks off at 1 pm ET, while 49ers-Cardinals doesn't start until 4:25 pm ET, so there won't be any scoreboard watching going on. It's possible that the Vikings pull guys like QB Kirk Cousins, RB Dalvin Cook, WR Justin Jefferson and TE T.J. Hockenson if they build a big lead, but we're currently projecting full playing time for all of them.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for just 205 yards in Sunday's loss to the Packers, with 1 TD and 3 INTs. The lone TD went to WR Jalen Nailor from 47 yards out, helping him lead the team with 89 yards on 3 catches. TE T.J. Hockenson led the team with 12 targets, catching 7 for 59 yards. WR K.J. Osborn added a TD catch, but it came from QB Nick Mullens in garbage time. WR Justin Jefferson managed just 1 reception for 15 yards among 5 looks. Minnesota closes out the regular season with an upside matchup at Chicago.
Vikings TE Irv Smith (ankle) has been designated to return from IR. He's been out since going down with a significant high-ankle sprain in Week 8. Minnesota, of course, swung a deal for TE T.J. Hockenson since then. Smith's return could be a slight boost to the Vikings passing game, but he won't be a fantasy factor in the regular season or playoffs, barring a Hockenson injury.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for 299 yards and 3 TDs in Saturday's narrow victory over the Giants. He hit TE T.J. Hockenson for 2 scores and found WR Justin Jefferson for the other. Those 2 accounted for 66.7% of Cousins' total pass attempts, drawing 16 targets apiece. No other Viking saw more than 4. The Vikings head to Green Bay in Week 17 to face a Packers defense that ranks among the worst against the run, but negative as a scoring matchup for QBs.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for 460 yards and 4 TDs (with 2 INTs) in Saturday's comeback win over the Colts. He racked up a season-high 54 pass attempts in a game that found Minnesota fall behind 33-0 before roaring back and winning in OT. Cousins hit K.J. Osborn, Justin Jefferson, Dalvin cook and Adam Thielen for scores. It's his 2nd straight game with more than 400 yards passing. Minnesota gets the Giants and Packers in the final 2 weeks for most fantasy football leagues -- neither a scary matchup.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins racked up 425 yards and 2 TDs in Sunday's loss to the Lions. He completed 31 of 41 throws, with more than half of his yardage going to WR Justin Jefferson. Cousins found WR Adam Thielen and WR K.J. Osborn for his TDs. Week 15 holds a Colts defense that has played the run tougher than the pass this season, which could support more Cousins production.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins had his most efficient game of the year, completing 81% of his passes for 299 yards and 3 TDs in Thursday night's win over the Patriots. It was his 1st game this season with 3 TD throws and 2nd highest yardage output. Cousins found WR Justin Jefferson, WR Adam Thielen and TE T.J. Hockenson for TDs in a game where RB Dalvin Cook struggled to find running room (42 yards on 22 carries). Next comes a tougher passing matchup with the Jets but then better spots at Detroit and home for Indianapolis.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins managed only 12-of-23 passing for 105 yards in Sunday's beatdown at the hands of the Cowboys. He took 7 sacks and lost a fumble in the 40-3 defeat, giving way to Nick Mullens for late mop-up duty. TE T.J. Hockenson led Minnesota pass-catchers with just 5 catches and 34 yards. WR Justin Jefferson checked in just behind with a 3-33 line on 5 targets. WRs Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn were the only other Vikings to catch more than 1 pass. (They each caught 2.) Minnesota gets challenging matchups the next 2 weeks as well, against the Patriots and Jets. The 1st of those comes on Thanksgiving night.
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