Which players have been the biggest gifts for the Minnesota Vikings this season?
For the Minnesota Vikings, the 2020 season hasn’t gone according to plan. They have been ravaged by injuries and they have had to rely on plenty of young and inexperienced players to contribute much sooner than the coaching staff would’ve liked.
The Vikings have also had some special teams problems, offensive line woes, and the team has struggled to put a consistent product on the field.
While many aspects of this season’s team have been disappointing for Minnesota, some players have stepped up and played great all year long. Some of these guys were expected to play at the high levels they have been, while others have been a pleasant surprise.
Since it’s the holiday season and gift-giving is in the air, let’s look at some of the players that have been the biggest gifts to the Vikings this year. Some of these gifts were expected while others kind of came out of nowhere.
Justin Jefferson – WR
Justin Jefferson has been that gift that maybe you put on your list late and don’t have super high hopes for, but it turns out to be one of the best things you got for Christmas.
Jefferson was taken to be the replacement for Stefon Diggs and while the hope was that he’d eventually become that same type of dynamic receiver, few expected him to do it so early in his career.
Jefferson has been a complete receiver who beats defenders in new ways almost every week. He can make tough contested catches, he can run routes that make seasoned corners look silly, and he has the speed to burn by the secondary. He also is tough and he will fight for extra yardage, even dragging would-be tacklers with him.
Jefferson has been a huge gift to the Vikings and their offense this season. He’s been one of the most energetic and fun players on the roster for Minnesota this year. He has made plenty of big plays that have kept the Vikings in games and helped them secure wins.
Jefferson has also electrified the entire league with his “Griddy” dance and Minnesota to feel good knowing that they unwrapped their future No. 1 receiver this season.
Dalvin Cook – RB
There was hope that Dalvin Cook could stay healthy and be the focal point of the Vikings offense this season. But not many predicted he’d be playing at an MVP level, and that has been one of the best presents Minnesota could’ve asked for this year.
Cook has been what makes the Vikings offense go and he was on a historic pace earlier in the season. Cook had a four-game stretch where he ran for nearly 600 yards. Minnesota won three of these contests and got themselves right back in the playoff hunt.
This year, Cook has only had five games in which he hasn’t broken that 100-yard mark on the ground, and a few of those happened because he missed carries due to some minor injuries.
The guy is just so fast, tough, and explosive. All he needs is a tiny seam to slip through and he turns on the jets for a big gain. He is also extremely quick to the outside and he can get the edge before any linebacker or corner can get close to tackling him or cutting him off.
Cook is going to end the season very close to, if not over, 1,700 rushing yards. He should finish with nearly 20 touchdowns and that kind of production has been one of the best gifts the Vikings have received this year.
Kirk Cousins – QB
Kirk Cousins has his haters, but without his play, the Vikings would not still be clinging on to their playoff hopes.
Cousins has overcome a shaky start to the season and has been much smarter with the football lately. He’s been making the types of plays that have helped Minnesota get back in games and he’s led them to some improbable come-from-behind victories.
This year, Cousins has marched the Vikings down the field late in wins against the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars. He has used his two primary targets, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, extensively and he has put the ball where only those two can catch it.
Cousins seems to have also improved his pocket presence this season and he gets the ball out much quicker than he has in the past.
Recently, Minnesota’s quarterback has also realized that he can make plays with his legs. While it isn’t always pretty, Cousins has been able to not just move around in the pocket to buy more time, but he has been able to pick up extra yards on the ground and extend drives.
While him learning to slide would be an even bigger gift to the Vikings, the fact that he is dialed in and showing why the team invested so much money in him has been a very nice gift for the franchise.
Adam Thielen – WR
There were a lot of questions about Adam Thielen entering the 2020 season. He was coming off an injury-plagued 2019 campaign and more worrisome was the fact that he would be without his longtime receiving mate, Stefon Diggs.
It was speculated that Thielen would see more double teams and he would have a hard time repeating the type of success he has found in recent seasons. Those worries proved to be ill-founded.
Thielen has been nothing short of great this year. He’s been making highlight-reel grabs on a weekly basis and while his yardage may be down a little bit down, he should finish the season with over 15 touchdowns.
Justin Jefferson’s emergence has definitely helped Thielen avoid the double teams, but it doesn’t seem to matter if this guy has two or even three defenders hanging off of him. He always seems to come down with the ball.
Thielen has become one of the veteran leaders of the Vikings offense and he seems to excel in that role. He has taken Jefferson under his wing and he should be given some credit for how quickly the rookie has adjusted to the NFL game.
Thielen’s ability to bounce back from his injuries and produce without his longtime pal Diggs, has been a gift that Minnesota will not be returning to the store.
Eric Kendricks – LB
Eric Kendricks has been the leader of the Vikings defense this season and the team had to be doing a happy dance when they opened up this 2020 package and saw the production he gave his team.
Kendricks has routinely made plays all over the field. He’s constantly the first man on the ball carrier whether that is on one sideline or the other. He has, again, been excellent in coverage, sticking stride-for-stride with tight ends, backs, and the occasional receiver, even following them down the field on longer routes.
Kendricks has displayed his ball skills this season as well, picking off three passes that have helped Minnesota get back into some games and shifted the momentum back in their favor.
He is doing all of this with a defensive line in front of him that is struggling to generate consistent pressure this season. He also doesn’t have Anthony Barr on his strong side this year, but that doesn’t seem to matter.
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Kendricks’ injury has been a big lump of coal and it could have a major negative impact on the Vikings’ playoff hopes. The team will hope he can return to the lineup soon and if he does, it would be like opening up one gift and finding another inside wrapped in even shinier paper.