Which Minnesota Vikings players should you target in fantasy football?

Fantasy Football is one of the most popular games worldwide and drafting well can help lead you to victory. Which Minnesota Vikings should be on your team?

Fantasy football is a great time. Not only is it an opportunity to show off your football knowledge but it is also a competitive and social activity which can be shared by individuals all around the world. But drafting players from your favorite team, such as the Minnesota Vikings, can be a bit of a challenge.

Of course, fans of the team likely feel like they have some more information about what to expect from players on the team, but that also brings the temptation of drafting those in purple and gold earlier than they possibly should be selected.

Here is a look at each of the prospects from the Minnesota Vikings who were included in the Top 200 of four different experts on fantasy football in PPR format:

Dalvin Cook, running back

• 16: Heath Cummings, CBS Sports
• 19: Jamey Eisenberg, CBS Sports
• 21 – RB12: Michael Fabiano, NFL.com
• 28: Dave Richard, CBS Sports

It’s not a surprise that Dalvin Cook will be the first name called from the Vikings roster. However, the question of when he should be picked should be addressed. Struggling with injuries and playing behind a new offensive line with a new blocking scheme, it’s hard to know what he can do. For that reason, Richard is likely the closest to when you should take Cook: somewhere at the end of the second round is the earliest he should go.

Adam Thielen, wide receiver

• 22 – WR9: Fabiano
• 29: Richard
• 30: Eisenberg
• 40: Cummings

The argument as to whether you should select Adam Thielen or Stefon Diggs first when it comes to wide receivers can be debated, but both look to be very hot targets. Of the two, Thielen should get more targets, is known for making great receptions, and hasn’t missed a game in his five seasons as a pro. All this adds up to him being the safer pick. Richard and Eisenberg are on the right track here, and he should be a third-round selection.

Stefon Diggs, wide receiver

• 28 – WR13: Fabiano
• 29: Eisenberg
• 30: Richard
• 30: Cummings

If you’re a bit of a gambler, you may really like Stefon Diggs this season. He’s coming off the first 1,000-yard season of his career and has made some explosive plays in the past. He should be fun to watch and could be even better than last year if he continues to see his numbers increase. Personally, my concerns are him missing games and seeing fewer targets with a run game emerging. I’d suggest the fourth round for Diggs.

Alexander Mattison, running back

• 109: Richard
• 143: Eisenberg

I’m higher on Alexander Mattison than others are. He should have a big role with the team while sharing reps with Dalvin Cook. Plus, in the event that Cook is forced to miss time this season, Mattison has proven to be able to handle the bulk of carries, making him a valuable handcuff. Personally, I’d be starting to look at him around the ninth round.

Kirk Cousins, quarterback

• 162 – QB19: Fabiano
• 200 – Eisenberg

I’m a bit old school when it comes to quarterbacks in fantasy football drafts. Once you get past the elite passers who will get you a ton of points, you’re better off grabbing top pass catchers and running backs and waiting on a quarterback. For that reason, I’d suggest that unless you’re in a league full of Vikings fans, Kirk Cousins should be there to swoop up quite late, possibly even round 10 or 11.

Kyle Rudolph, tight end

• 164 – TE19: Fabiano
• 167: Richard
• 170: Cummings
• 178: Eisenberg

I’m going to say it now: Kyle Rudolph‘s situation this year has all the signs of him being a bust. The Vikings looking to re-establish a run game along with the drafting of Irv Smith Jr. means footballs won’t be coming his way as often. And when Minnesota does pass the ball, Cousins will be looking to Diggs or Thielen first. I’m not saying Rudolph is undraftable, but he definitely isn’t worth a pick in the first 12 rounds.

Vikings defense/special teams

• 189 – D/ST8: Fabiano

The rule of thumb is that defenses and kickers aren’t to be drafted until the last two rounds of our draft. However, those rules are archaic and meant to be broken. If you can grab a significantly higher point scoring unit while only spending a pick toward the end of your draft, it’s well worth it. Don’t wait that long. Pick a defense like Minnesota’s one round early and reap the benefits.

Other players

There’s no harm in taking Dan Bailey as a kicker if you wait until the final rounds since other kickers will likely be gone. However, you may also want to gamble on Irv Smith, Jr. as your backup tight end, which could pay dividends if he outperforms Rudolph or an injury happens.

When will you be selecting your Minnesota Vikings players during your fantasy football draft? And do you agree with the expert evaluations as well as mine? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section!