Fantasy Football Week 5: Complete Thursday Night Preview
Hopefully, your fantasy football team has benefited in some way from these Thursday night routs this season.
We are four weeks into NFL 2014, and the first game of each week has been decided by a minimum of 20 points.
But that means we have also seen some big performances from Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, Atlanta Falcons wideout Devin Hester and the New York Giants passing combination of quarterback Eli Manning and tight end Larry Donnell.
So what can we expect this week when the Minnesota Vikings travel to Lambeau Field to face their longtime divisional rivals, the Green Bay Packers?
All of the answers are ahead.
Starting Quarterbacks
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Minnesota Vikings: Teddy Bridgewater
As of early Thursday morning, Bridgewater was still listed as questionable for this contest. The rookie injured his ankle on a successful two-point conversion toss in the team’s 41-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday.
In his first NFL start, the 2014 first-round pick completed 19 of his 30 throws for 317 yards without a touchdown pass or interception. Bridgewater did run five times for 27 yards, including a 13-yard score. If he can’t go, Christian Ponder would get the nod. We will keep you posted throughout the day on what could be a game-time decision.
Fantasy Prediction: 22-of-33, 321 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. 8 carries, 61 yards, 1 TD.
Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers
The star signal-caller has put up incredible numbers against the Vikings during his career despite being chased around the field by the Minnesota defense.
In 12 games versus this NFC North rival (including playoffs), Rodgers has averaged 281.8 yards per game through the air, connecting for 27 scores while being picked off just four times. All this despite being sacked an amazing 40 times in those dozen contests.
Fantasy Prediction: 28-of-41, 355 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT. 5 carries, 21 yards, 0 TD.
Running Backs
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Minnesota Vikings Starter: Matt Asiata
If someone would have told you that the Vikings would rank eighth in the NFL in rushing after four weeks with Adrian Peterson missing three games, you may have told them to do a little more fact-checking.
Last week versus the Atlanta Falcons, Asiata ran for just 78 yards on 20 carries but scored three touchdowns. He leads the team with 270 yards from scrimmage and has totaled four of the team’s eight offensive touchdowns this season.
Fantasy Prediction: 11 carries, 75 yards, 0 TD. 3 receptions, 25 yards, 0 TD.
Minnesota Vikings Backup: Jerick McKinnon
Last week, the rookie from Georgia Southern ran for 235 yards on 18 carries but failed to reach the end zone. McKinnon was also targeted three times in the passing game and totaled one reception for 17 yards.
When you consider that the Green Bay defense ranks last in the league in run defense, both Asiata and McKinnon have the potential to have productive evenings.
Fantasy Prediction: 7 carries, 31 yards, 0 TD. 2 receptions, 16 yards, 0 TD.
Green Bay Packers Starter: Eddie Lacy
The 2013 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is off to a slow start this season for any number of reasons. Lacy has touched the ball 60 times and gained just 210 yards from scrimmage in four contests.
Last week in the win over the Chicago Bears, he scored his first touchdown of 2014. However, he’s yet to crack the 50-yard rushing mark in any games this season.
Fantasy Prediction: 21 carries, 89 yards, 0 TD. 1 reception, 4 yards, 0 TD.
Green Bay Packers Backup: James Starks
Starks has totaled just 15 carries for 75 yards in 2014. With Lacy struggling these days and this being a short week, perhaps the veteran running back could see more carries Thursday night.
Fantasy Prediction: 4 carries, 16 yards, 0 TD. 2 receptions, 23 yards, 0 TD.
Wide Receivers
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Minnesota Vikings: Greg Jennings
The one-time Green Bay Packers standout leads the team with 15 receptions for 204 yards and a score.
Last season, his first with the Vikings after seven years with the Packers, Jennings led Minnesota with 68 catches for 804 yards and four touchdowns.
Over his last three seasons dating back to 2012, the two-time Pro Bowler has played in 27 regular-season games and scored just nine touchdowns. In 13 games with Green Bay in 2011, Jennings caught nine touchdown passes.
Fantasy Prediction: 7 receptions, 121 yards, 1 TD.
Minnesota Vikings: Cordarrelle Patterson
After running 67 yards for a touchdown in the team’s 34-6 Week 1 win at St. Louis, the second-year wide receiver has been relatively quiet on offense.
Patterson ranks second on the team with 13 receptions for 181 yards but has not caught a touchdown pass this season to date. He also ranks third on the team with 95 yards rushing.
In 20 games to date, the 2013 first-round pick has scored 10 touchdowns—four rushing, four receiving and two on kickoff returns.
Fantasy Prediction: 4 receptions, 71 yards, 0 TD. 2 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD.
Minnesota Vikings: Jarius Wright
The third-year pro had quite the afternoon last Sunday in the team’s 41-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
After catching three passes for 37 yards in the Vikings’ first three games, Wright was more than all right. The third-year performer set career highs for receptions (eight) and receiving yards (132).
Fantasy Prediction: 4 receptions, 74 yards, 1 TD.
Green Bay Packers: Jordy Nelson
After four weeks, Nelson leads the league in both catches (33) and receiving yards (459), and two of his three touchdown grabs came last week at Soldier Field.
Over his last 20 games dating back to last season, Nelson has totaled 118 receptions for 1,773 yards and 11 scores. The second-round pick in 2008 has been targeted at least 12 times in three of the team’s first four games in 2014.
Fantasy Prediction: 7 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TD.
Green Bay Packers: Randall Cobb
The big-play performer is making up for lost time after missing 10 games in 2013. In four outings this season, Cobb has been targeted 30 times and caught 21 passes for 239 yards and five touchdowns, scoring at least once in three of those contests.
It’s quite a start for the explosive performer, who last season still managed to total 31 receptions for 433 yards and four scores in a half-dozen appearances.
Fantasy Prediction: 8 receptions, 141 yards, 2 TD.
Green Bay Packers: Davante Adams
With Jarrett Boykin sidelined, this year’s second-round pick from Fresno State hopes to fill his spot. While Nelson and Cobb have combined for 54 of Aaron Rodgers’ 86 completions and eight of his nine touchdown passes, Adams actually ranks third on the team with nine receptions for 79 yards.
Last week, the rookie wideout caught two passes for 18 yards versus the Chicago Bears. Look for those numbers to increase on Thursday night.
Fantasy Prediction: 5 receptions, 63 yards, 1 TD.
Green Bay Packers: Jeff Janis
Inactive for the first three games of the season, Janis was on the field last week at Chicago but was not targeted as a receiver. If he is indeed active Thursday night, the rookie seventh-round pick could have a minimal impact.
Fantasy Prediction: 2 receptions, 26 yards, 0 TD.
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Tight Ends
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Minnesota Vikings Starter: Rhett Ellison
We are still trying to find out if Teddy Bridgewater likes throwing to the tight end as much as the team’s other quarterbacks. Of course, when you have the likes of a Kyle Rudolph, that’s an easy question to answer.
With the former Pro Bowler sidelined, Ellison gets the nod again. He’s caught just three passes for 65 yards this season, and we expect conservative numbers from the third-year pro on Thursday night.
Fantasy Prediction: 2 receptions, 14 yards, 0 TD.
Minnesota Vikings Backup: MarQueis Gray
Gray is the listed backup on the depth chart but doesn’t figure to have any fantasy impact at all. In three games this season, the two-year pro has yet to touch the ball.
Fantasy Prediction: 0 receptions.
Green Bay Packers Starter: Richard Rodgers
After being targeted just once in the first three weeks of the season, the rookie performer caught two passes for 52 yards last week in the team’s rout of the Chicago Bears. We are still waiting for the first Rodgers-to-Rodgers touchdown connection this season.
Fantasy Prediction: 1 reception, 16 yards, 0 TD.
Green Bay Packers Backup: Andrew Quarless
After catching eight passes for 77 yards and a score in Green Bay’s first three games this season, Quarless did not have a catch last Sunday at Chicago. That should change against a Minnesota defense that will be missing outside linebacker Chad Greenway.
Fantasy Prediction: 2 receptions, 17 yards, 1 TD.
Defense/Special Teams
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Minnesota Vikings Defense/Special Teams
We have noted the number of sacks that the Vikings have had on Aaron Rodgers in the last 12 meetings with the star quarterback. Of course, more than one-third of those (16.5) came from Jared Allen, who is now with the Chicago Bears.
Still, Mike Zimmer’s new-look defense can get after the passer. Minnesota has eight sacks in four games: two each from rookie linebacker Anthony Barr, defensive end Everson Griffen and defensive tackle Tom Johnson.
Meanwhile, the Vikings special teams are always worth a play thanks to the presence of big-play kickoff return artist Cordarrelle Patterson.
Fantasy Prediction: 41 points allowed, 4 sacks, 0 INT, 0 FF.
Green Bay Packers Defense/Special Teams
It’s been a rocky start for Dom Capers' unit, which has struggled in recent seasons. Still, we are talking fantasy and not reality.
The Packers have totaled seven takeaways, including five interceptions, in four games this season. The pass rush has produced just six sacks, and it’s worth noting, for those of you in IDP leagues (Individual Defensive Performance) that outside linebacker Julius Peppers is one of six players with one sack apiece.
Fantasy Prediction: 21 points allowed, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF.
Best Sleeper Adds
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A couple of these performers may not be on your team and could be worth adding on Thursday morning or afternoon. Sometimes, a little last-minute shopping can be beneficial.
1. Jerick McKinnon, Running Back, Minnesota Vikings (Owned in 5.1 percent of ESPN leagues)
A third-round pick from Georgia Southern five months ago, McKinnon was lights out last weekend. The rookie running back totaled 135 yards on 18 carries in the team’s 41-28 victory over Atlanta. Matt Asiata is the starter and the better scoring threat, but we are talking about Green Bay’s defense, which is dead last in the NFL against the run.
2. Jarius Wright, Wide Receiver, Minnesota Vikings (Owned in 0.4 percent of ESPN leagues)
The rapport with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was evident last Sunday against the Falcons, as Wright was targeted 10 times and caught a career-best eight passes. Of course, all bets could be off if Christian Ponder gets the start at quarterback.
3. Davante Adams, Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers (Owned in 0.8 percent of ESPN leagues)
With Jarrett Boykin out for a second straight week, the rookie wideout is expected to be the third wideout on Thursday night. Adams caught two passes for 18 yards last week versus the Bears but is still looking for his first NFL touchdown.
Injury Report
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Here is a look at the latest injury report regarding the Vikings and Packers, focusing on key performers, courtesy of NFL.com.
Minnesota Vikings | ||
Player | Status | |
Kyle Rudolph | TE | Out |
Chad Greenway | LB | Out |
Teddy Bridgewater | QB | Questionable |
Jerick McKinnon | RB | Probable |
Captain Munnerlyn | CB | Probable |
Josh Robinson | CB | Probable |
Obviously, Bridgewater is the focus here, but both Greenway and Rudolph will miss their second consecutive games. McKinnon comes off a big game, while Robinson has two of the team’s four interceptions this season.
Green Bay Packers | ||
Player | Status | |
Jarrett Boykin | WR | Out |
Clay Matthews | LB | Probable |
Brad Jones | LB | Probable |
Mike Neal | LB | Probable |
Boykin will miss his second straight game and, when available, hasn’t done much to date. Green Bay’s 26th-ranked defense can use all the help it can get, and while Jones has been limited in practice this week, Matthews was a full participant the last two days.
Sit or Start
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We know who the stars are when it comes to this contest. But is there a pivotal player or two who may be on your roster that you can’t decide whether to start or not? Here’s a little help.
RB Jerick McKinnon (Vikings): On a short week, on the road and against the worst run defense in the league, you can expect McKinnon to have his opportunities. But Matt Asiata is the main man when it comes to reaching the end zone.
Verdict: Sit
TE Rhett Ellison (Vikings): He’s totaled just three receptions but has 65 yards on those catches. Taking over for injured starter Kyle Rudolph, Ellison could find some holes in the Packers’ 3-4 defense but probably not enough times to make a difference.
Verdict: Sit
FB John Kuhn (Packers): One of the cult figures per se of these modern-day Packers, the fullback will make the occasional appearance in the end zone. But certainly not enough to warrant a start here.
Verdict: Sit
WR Davante Adams (Packers): Jarrett Boykin is out for a second straight week. Adams, the rookie from Fresno State, figures to be targeted more often than the three times he was thrown to last week at Chicago.
Verdict: Start
Some statistical support provided by Pro-Football-Reference, NFL.com and ESPN.com. Depth chart info provided by Ourlads.
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