Minnesota Vikings Week 9 Stock Report

The Minnesota Vikings will host the St. Louis Rams for an important NFC matchup in Week 9 of the 2015 NFL season. 

Fresh off a come-from-behind win over the Chicago Bears, the Vikings are now 5-2 and in possession of the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff race. Winners of three of the last four games, the Rams are 4-3 and nipping at Minnesota's heels as the conference's seventh-best team. It's only Week 9, but the winner of Sunday's showdown could have major postseason ramifications later in the season. 

In the following slides, we'll highlight the risers and fallers for the Vikings as Mike Zimmer's team prepares to play the Rams. 

Rising: WR Stefon Diggs

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Stefon Diggs as a riser has become a weekly tradition. In fact, he's now been in this category for four straight weeks. And why not?

The rookie receiver isn't going away. Shut down for much of Sunday, Diggs came alive when it mattered most, catching three passes for 64 yards and a 40-yard touchdown during Minnesota's final two drives. He finished with six catches for 95 yards and the game-tying score, pushing his four-game numbers to 25 catches, 419 yards and two touchdowns to start his NFL career.

Despite being inactive for the first three games, Diggs leads the Vikings in receiving yards, yards per reception, first-down receptions and receptions over 20 yards. 

In Week 9, Minnesota's superstar rookie will meet one of the NFL's other transcendent first-year players. Diggs and Rams running back Todd Gurley won't even be on the field at the same time, but the winner on Sunday might depend on which rookie continues his crazy production. 

Falling: WR Mike Wallace

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This feels harsh, as Mike Wallace was in position to make two long touchdown catches against the Bears. He had a step on cornerback Kyle Fuller in the end zone in the first half, and he smoked the coverage deep in the second half. Unfortunately, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater failed to deliver an accurate throw on both occasions, changing the narrative. 

However, Wallace dropped his two other targets and failed to make at least one reception in a game for just the third time in his NFL career. 

Meanwhile, Diggs was targeted 11 times. 

Through seven games, Wallace has just one catch over 20 yards. He's on pace for 57 receptions and less than 700 receiving yards in 2015.

Getting open down the field is a good sign for Wallace. But considering his lack of production over the last three weeks (averaging less than 20 receiving yards per game) and the emergence of Diggs as Minnesota's top receiver, Wallace has to be considered a faller ahead of Week 9. 

Rising: K Blair Walsh

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Blair Walsh's issues in putting the ball through the uprights seem like a distant memory. Since missing his first kick in Denver in early October, Walsh has made 13 straight field goals. 

He was at his best in Chicago, connecting on two kicks over 40 yards and the game-winning 36-yard field goal as time expired. Over the last three games, Walsh has hit on 11 of 11 tries, including six over 40 yards and two over 50. 

Kickers are a funny breed. Miss a few kicks, and everything can unravel. Make one or two in a row, and the world can right itself in an instant. Confidence is the life force of the position. Walsh's is suddenly back to being sky-high. 

Falling: CB Xavier Rhodes

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It's difficult to place too much blame on Xavier Rhodes for Alshon Jeffery's 21-yard touchdown last Sunday. He was beat by a fantastic throw and an all-world catch. Such is life as an NFL cornerback. 

However, the just-misses are starting to add up for Rhodes. 

According to Pro Football Focus, he's allowed five touchdown passes through seven games in 2015. Those who have beat him for a touchdown include Jeffery, Calvin Johnson (two), Keenan Allen and Albert Wilson (on a screen). Overall, opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 117.9 when targeting him this season, including five straight games with a mark over 100. 

Rhodes also doesn't have an interception despite being targeted 52 times, and he's been called for 10 penalties—the second most among defensive backs. 

The Vikings' top cornerback has been handed some tough assignments in 2015. He's won some battles and lost others, but the losses have probably outshined the wins.

Rising: NT Linval Joseph

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Head coach Mike Zimmer recently called Linval Joseph the best nose tackle he's ever coached, per Dave Campbell of the Associated Press (via the Star Tribune). With every passing game, it's easy to see why. 

In Chicago, Joseph was once again the rock in the middle of Minnesota's front four—a man impossible to move in the run game with surprisingly effective pass-rushing ability. His consistency in dominating on the nose demands double-teams, allowing Vikings linebackers to flow undeterred to the ball against the run. And when he's single-blocked in the passing game, Joseph can collapse a pocket from the interior. 

He is the perfect nose tackle for Zimmer. And others are taking notice.

According to Pro Football Focus, Joseph has graded out as the sixth-best defensive tackle or nose tackle in the NFL this season. The five players ahead of him are Aaron Donald, Kawann Short, Ndamukong Suh, Brandon Williams and Geno Atkins. It's impressive company, especially considering only Joseph and Williams are considered true nose tackles among the six players. 

The Vikings now face running back Todd Gurley in Week 9. If Minnesota is able to halt the rookie's ridiculous run on Sunday, it'll likely be thanks to Joseph's ability to create havoc in the middle of the defense. 

Falling: Cordarrelle Patterson

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Cordarrelle Patterson is becoming a frequent visitor of the stock report for all the wrong reasons. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Patterson played just nine snaps on offense against the Bears. Eight of the nine plays were runs. He ran one route but wasn't targeted. 

As a kick returner, Patterson was stopped before the 20-yard line twice after taking the ball out of the end zone. He still ranks 11th in the NFL in yards per kick return (24.7), but far too many of his yards this season have come from advancing the ball past the goal line in his own end zone. 

So, here we are. After seven games, Patterson is now a run-blocking receiver and a potential liability on special teams. At this point, he must be bordering the line between the 46 game-day players and the inactive list every Sunday.