Fantasy Football Forecast: Minnesota Vikings vs Panthers in Week 14
By Adam Carlson
Which members of the Minnesota Vikings should you play heading into the fantasy football playoffs and who will flop in Week 14 vs the Carolina Panthers?
By now, your fantasy football teams should be heading into the playoffs or playing their last game of the regular season in Week 14 and some managers may be looking at members of the Minnesota Vikings to help them get a big win.
In week 14, the Vikings hit the road once again to take on the Carolina Panthers in a game with big NFC implications that will pit two of the best teams in the conference against each other on Sunday, December 10, 2017.
The big questions are who you should play on your fantasy team, who you should bench, and who some other good options might be. Let’s take a look at how I did last week against the Falcons before diving into Week 14.(All fantasy statistics are from ESPN)
Where I was right in Week 13
- Starting Kyle Rudolph (scored 13.6 vs projected 10.5)
- Starting Latavius Murray (scored 13.6 vs projected 13.0)
Where I was wrong in Week 13
- Starting Adam Thielen (scored 9.1 vs projected 16.2)
- Benching Case Keenum (scored 17 vs projected 15.8)
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Now, we move on to Week 14 where the Minnesota Vikings are taking on the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here are my recommendations as to who to start, who to sit, and who to be on the fence about:
Should exceed projection in Week 14
- Kai Forbath, kicker (projected 7.4)
- Latavius Murray, running back (projected 10.5)
- Case Keenum, quarterback (projected 13.8)
Kai Forbath only scored 2 points on extra points, but he should see some more field goal attempts against the Panthers, meaning he should beat this projection. In addition, Murray will get the bulk of the carries along with some catches, and owners should feel good about him getting at least 12 points.
Keenum is the tough one here. I expect him to toss another pair of touchdowns this week and have another solid game, but he likely won’t exceed 20 fantasy points. Yet, he is a good option if you don’t have a better QB available.
Projected just about right in Week 14
- Adam Thielen, wide receiver (projected 15.2)
- Stefon Diggs, wide receiver (projected 11.5)
- Jerick McKinnon, running back (projected 11.8)
Thielen is coming off a disappointing game by fantasy standards, with him and Diggs failing to get into the endzone or recording more than 4 catches. Keenum will spread the ball around, but I expect them both to have better outings than against the Falcons.
Won’t meet projections in Week 14
- Kyle Rudolph, tight end (projected 9.8)
- Vikings defense (projected 7.1)
Expect the Vikings to get a couple of sacks on Cam Newton, but Carolina could also make a mistake to turn the ball over. However, I don’t think Minnesota will be able to keep the Panthers out of the end zone the way they did against the Falcons.
Also, Rudolph or whoever is in the slot will be facing off against one of the best nickel backs in the NFL in Captain Munnerlyn, and Vikings fans know just how good he can be in that position.
Next: Who are the experts picking - Minnesota or Carolina?
The Minnesota Vikings will have their hands full with the Carolina Panthers, but hopefully, the boys in purple can help your fantasy football team bring home a championship this season!