Offensive Players to Watch: Minnesota Vikings
The Carolina Panthers (4-7) will travel to Minnesota this weekend to take on the Vikings (4-6). Minnesota has some of the best skill players in the game and could cause trouble for this young Carolina defense. Below are three offensive players to watch for the Vikings on Sunday.
RB Dalvin Cook
If you want to build your offense around a workhorse at running back, this is your guy. Dalvin Cook is averaging 22.3 carries per game and has had two games where he had 30 carries. Cook has gone over 100 yards on the ground in five of his nine games this season, including going over 200 yards against the Lions. Carolina has struggled containing the run game all season long and I don't know if they'll be able to keep Cook bottled up.
WR Justin Jefferson
It didn't take rookie receiver Justin Jefferson long to become an impact player for the Vikings. It looks like Minnesota has a future star on their hands with this guy. Just ten games into his NFL career, the former Florida Gator has accounted for 45 receptions for 848 yards and four touchdowns. The most impressive thing about him? His yards are 18.8 per catch, which ranks 2nd in the entire NFL trailing only Marquez Valdez-Scantling of the Packers. Jefferson can flat out fly and the Panthers must make sure he doesn't get behind them because if he does, you might as well forget about it.
WR Adam Thielen
It might be because he plays in Minnesota and not in a big market, but Adam Thielen has become one of the best receivers in the game. He posted back-to-back 1,200+ yard seasons in 2017-18, but that came to an end a year ago after only managing to play in ten games due to injury. So far this season, Thielen has hauled in 49 receptions for 646 yards and a league leading 11 touchdowns.
Thielen was placed on the team's COVID list earlier in the week, but recently tested negative - his status for this week's game is unknown but if he plays, the Panthers will have their hands full.
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