5 Bold Predictions: Minnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos — Week 11
By Chris Schad
Diggs will be held out of the end zone
As much as I would love to tell you that Stefon Diggs is going to have a big game as a target monster in the absence of Adam Thielen, the odds of that happening aren’t likely to happen in the shadow coverage of Chris Harris.
The Broncos’ top corner has been a stud this season and he currently grades as the fifth-best coverage corner in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. This isn’t because he’s faced trash receivers either. Being used in shadow coverage against the likes of Allen Robinson, Davante Adams, T.Y. Hilton and Odell Beckham Jr., Harris held those four to a combined 10 catches for 184 yards and no touchdowns.
If Diggs can beat the coverage Harris has been providing this season, he still has to deal with the deep end of Denver’s secondary where Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons have been playing at an elite level.
As a counter-argument, Harris’ hit list includes three players that are on offenses that are in complete disarray. Although Diggs has the ability to get open against anyone, the stars do not align for him having a monster day this week even with Thielen remaining on the shelf.