2022 Minnesota Vikings Odds, Schedule, & Fantasy Football Team Preview
Welcome to the 2022 NFL season preview for the Minnesota Vikings. There is a new head coach in Minnesota for the first time in 8 years after they finally parted ways with Mike Zimmer after a disappointing 8-9 record last season. Kevin O’Connell takes over a talented roster led by superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. Dalvin Cook leads the backfield with his very capable backup Alexander Mattison lurking should the injury bug bite yet again.
– Minnesota Vikings Betting Odds: Is there any chance they can overtake the Packers and lay claim to a division title for the first time since 2017?
– Team Matchup Overview: Does an uptick in tempo under a new head coach, combined with a mediocre pass defense provide game environments we should be looking to target?
– Fantasy Football Drafts: Justin Jefferson is obviously elite, but does Adam Thielen have anything left? Should we be looking at KJ Osborn or a returning Irv Smith as guys who could outperform their ADP if Thielen struggles to stay on the field again?
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2022 Minnesota Vikings Schedule, Lines, and Best Bets
Projected Odds, derived & modified from data originally published by Sean Koerner here.
Win Total and Total Games Favored:
9 (-115) / 9 Games Favored ( 2 Big Favorites / 1 Big Dogs)
The Vikings project to play a lot of close games. They are only favored by more than 5 points in 2 games, and they are only more than 5-point underdogs in 2 games as well. That leaves a wide range of outcomes for their win total, and a lot depends on how they respond to their new head coach.
I could see the Vikings winning the division if GB falters, or I could see them finishing behind Detroit in the division with a sub-.500 record. The best number on Minnesota to win the division is at +300, probably not worth a shot despite the uncertainty in Green Bay.
If I had to take a stand on the win total, I would side with the offense clicking under new leadership and go with the over.
Minnesota Vikings Props
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Favorite Prop: Dalvin Cook is one of the most talented backs in the NFL, but he is at the scary age of 27 where production begins to dip for many running backs. A healthy Cook almost certainly goes over 1150.5 rushing yards, but he has not played a full season at any point in his career. The new regime may also have a different strategy on how to best deploy Cook and Mattison, opting for more of a timeshare than we have seen in the past. Whether it be injury related or workload related, I think Cook stays under 1150.5 rushing yards.
Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Football Projections
Team Rankings and Ratings
Offense Ranks:Rank 16/ Strong Rush / Very Strong Pass/ Rank 20 Points For)
Defense Ranks:Rank 19/ Strong Rush / Average pass / Rank 24 Points Allowed)
Opponent Strength – Rushing:6 difficult vs. rush. 5 soft vs. rush.
Opponent Strength – Passing:7 difficult vs. pass. 6 soft vs. pass.
The Vikings grade out as just an average offense, but I think there are paths to them being closer to the top of the league. They have tremendous talent at the skill positions, including one of the best wide receivers in the league and two talented running backs. Thielen is aging but can still be productive if he can stay healthy. I am less optimistic on the defense and think they could struggle particularly against opposing passing games.
Minnesota Vikings Top Fantasy Football Plays & Picks
Noteworthy Depth Chart
QB: Kirk Cousins – Underdog Rank: 149 (ADP 115 / -22.82% ADP Gap)
RB: Dalvin Cook – Underdog Rank: 17 (ADP 9 / -47.06% ADP Gap)
RB: Alexander Mattison – Underdog Rank: 155 (ADP 121 / -21.94% ADP Gap)
WR: Justin Jefferson – Underdog Rank: 4 (ADP 4 / 0% ADP Gap)
WR: Adam Thielen – Underdog Rank: 82 (ADP 70 / -14.63% ADP Gap)
WR: K.J. Osborn – Underdog Rank: 188 (ADP 144 – -23.4% ADP Gap)
TE: Irv Smith – Underdog Rank: 123 (ADP 124 / 0.81% ADP Gap)
*Note: Premium Subscribers can find updated rankings for Underdog Fantasy in the content schedule here.
New Additions of Note: None
Departures of Note: None
Justin Jefferson is clearly the star of the show here. He set an NFL record for most receiving yards in a player’s first two seasons and he shows no signs of slowing down. There is a new head coach in town who should bring more advanced offensive philosophies and even more creative ways to get him the ball. The arrow is pointing straight up for Jefferson and he has the upside to be the top overall scorer in fantasy.
Kirk Cousins is an intriguing option with top 10 upside at the quarterback position. He has elite weapons and could benefit from a shift in offensive philosophy under the new coaching staff.
Dalvin Cook could see an increase in usage in the passing game under the new coaching staff, which would both reduce the punishment on his body and give him more value. More receptions could come at the expense of carries, but it would be an overall positive increase in value for Cook.
The two sleepers to keep an eye on are K.J. Osborn and Irv Smith Jr. Osborn could see more playing time in an offense that runs more three-wide sets. Smith returns from a knee injury that cost him all of the 2021 season.
Image Credit: Imagn