Jerick McKinnon Will Be Top Fantasy Performer From Minnesota Vikings vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
This Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a battle of teams that are inept on offense. The Vikings and Buccaneers feature the 29th and 30th-ranked offenses in the NFL, and both have struggled to get anything going. However, the one bright side for the Vikings is that they feature the 13th-ranked defense in the league while the Buccaneers rank dead last.
The Vikings have struggled mightily in the passing game under first-year starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, which leads me to believe that the player who will score the most points in this contest will be rookie running back Jerick McKinnon.
McKinnon took over the lead back duties from plodding running back Matt Asiata in Week 6 against the Detroit Lions, and in two games against top-four rushing defenses, he has put up an average of 4.77 yards per rush along with eight catches out of the backfield. McKinnon has looked electric, making players miss and providing the speed and agility that Asiata lacked while filling in for the suspended Adrian Peterson.
The Vikings’ offensive line has also looked very beatable in pass blocking, which is leading to Bridgewater checking down to McKinnon a lot out of the backfield, which will help owners in point-per-reception leagues.
Tampa Bay’s defense is ranked 25th against the run, allowing 128.3 yards per contest. They are also giving up the fifth-most points in fantasy football to opposing running backs, yielding 29.6 points per game. Asiata has received only eight carries in two weeks since McKinnon took over, and despite the fact that coaches claim they want him to get more touches, McKinnon keeps seeing the bulk of the carries in the Vikings’ backfield.
Look for McKinnon to get over 25 touches in this game with at least 125 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown to lead the way for the Vikings — and hopefully your fantasy squad.
Phillip Jacques is a Pac-12 Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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