Growing Expectations For Vikings Tight End Kyle Rudolph

We’ve been waiting a while now for Kyle Rudolph to develop into the Tight End we all want him to be. At 6’6”, pushing 260 pounds, and with big mitts a lot of NBA players would dream of, this Fighting Irish alum has the tools to be a force at Tight End in the NFL.

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In 2012 Vikings fans got a glimpse of what kind of talent Rudolph had. Accumulating 53 receptions, 493 receiving yards, and a promising 9 touchdowns, he went on to win the Pro Bowl MVP. Since then big number 82 has only played 17 games due to multiple injuries, caught 5 touchdown passes, and signed a 6-year deal worth $37.46 million, $18.5 million of that guaranteed. That’s a hefty sum for a guy who really hasn’t lived up to what looked like such a promising start to a career with a solid sophomore performance in 2012.

I understand that injuries are a part of the game and aren’t necessarily a player’s fault. While I don’t follow Kyle Rudolph around on a daily basis, it doesn’t look like he’s missed a workout since Pop Warner. Is he just injury prone? Who knows?

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I’m not expecting a 2011 ‘Gronk-type’ season here, but is 16 games played, 750 yards, and 10 touchdowns too much to ask for from a guy making that kind of scratch and with his skill set?

Rudolph is entering his fifth season and is possibly in his best situation offensively. He’ll have Norv Turner calling plays, Teddy Bridgewater under center, a decent receiving corps, and all signs pointing to Adrian Peterson being in the backfield.

Is this the year? Is it? Please let it be the year I can be proud to have drafted the Vikings tight end far too early in my fantasy draft and do the ‘ice auger’ along with him for double-digit touchdown celebrations.

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