Biggest Reasons Behind the Disappearance of Minnesota Vikings WR Mike Wallace

Acquired in a trade this offseason, Minnesota Vikings receiver Mike Wallace was once celebrated as the perfect pass-catcher for offensive coordinator Norv Turner's vertical-based passing attack. But since catching 20 passes in the first four games, Wallace has all but disappeared, hauling in just eight passes over the last six games and only two over the last four. 

Opportunity isn't to blame. According to Pro Football Focus, since the start of Week 8, 41 NFL receivers—including Wallace—have received 175 or more offensive snaps. But Wallace is the only one of the 41 to catch fewer than five passes. He's made just two catches on 14 targets over the last four games. 

Why has Wallace devolved into one of the most inefficient receivers in the NFL? Here are the four biggest reasons to consider.

Missed Deep Throws

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Wallace's season would be viewed much differently had he and his quarterback hooked up on a handful of deep chances over the last two months. 

Wallace and Teddy Bridgewater couldn't connect on a pair of potential touchdowns against the Chicago Bears in Week 8. Bridgewater overthrew Wallace on deep shots against the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders. During Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers, Bridgewater led Wallace a foot or two too far on another potential score. His speed has created chances, but the chemistry between thrower and receiver hasn't been there all season.

According to Pro Football Focus, Wallace has been targeted on passes thrown 20 or more yards in the air 10 times in 2015. He has just one catch on those throws. Most importantly, PFF deemed only one of the 10 as "catchable."

Narrow misses have put a huge dent in Wallace's season.

Dropped Passes

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While deep misses have played a big factor in Wallace's disappearance, Bridgewater can't take all the blame. Wallace has flat-out dropped too many passes in 2015. 

According to Ben Goessling of ESPN, Wallace currently has a career-high drop rate of 7.8 percent. He dropped another easy first-down catch against the Packers this past Sunday. 

Pro Football Focus has Wallace down for just four drops this season, but the stat is subjective. A drop to one isn't to another. A harsher grader might have Wallace down for somewhere close to 10 drops after 10 games.

Bottom line: Whether Wallace is open deep or he receives an accurate throw underneath, both quarterback and receiver need to make the most out of opportunities. It's impossible to be productive when so many chances are being wasted every week.

Emergence of Stefon Diggs

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Let's not forget that Wallace is no longer the Vikings' No. 1 receiver. That title now belongs to rookie Stefon Diggs, who has a team-high 36 receptions for 573 yards since making his debut in Week 4.

Over the last six games, Diggs has received 56 targets. Wallace, who led the team with 24 targets over the first four games, has just 28 over the last six. 

Just think of that. Diggs, a rookie, has twice as many targets since Week 6 as Wallace. As Diggs' career has rocketed off the ground, Wallace's opportunities have slowly but surely dried up in the dust of the young star's ascendance. 

It's hard to blame Bridgewater and Turner for the transition of targets. Diggs has made big play after big play for his quarterback and coordinator. He runs great routes and knows how to get open at all levels of the field. Wallace is much more of a one-trick pony. It makes good football sense for the Vikings to get the football to the more refined and versatile player.

Pass Protection Issues

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Wallace is a lanky, uber-fast receiver who chews up yards and gets down the field in a flash. But even the quickest of pass-catchers need time to get open vertically. The Vikings haven't been able to consistently provide the kind of pocket necessary for Bridgewater to confidently attack down the field. 

Turner has to be aware of this at some level (despite evidence to the contrary). And when a play-caller doesn't have the confidence in his offensive line to protect a young quarterback, dialing up deep shots becomes much more difficult. 

Bridgewater has also felt the ripple effects. He has just 33 attempts of 20 or more yards in the air this season, per Pro Football Focus, which is partly due to his conservative nature with the football but also the repeated failures of the players tasked with protecting him. It's becoming easier and easier to tell when Bridgewater comes off deep-route concepts early and checks down underneath—mostly because his internal clock has taken a beating.

Looking Forward

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After 10 games, Wallace is on pace to catch 45 passes for 509 yards and just two touchdowns. He hasn't had a season with numbers close to those since his rookie year, when he caught 39 passes for 756 yards and six scores. 

If he doesn't drastically outperform his pace over the final six games, Wallace will become one of the easiest cuts of the offseason. He might be regardless, given his salary and the lack of guaranteed money left on his deal.

But one thing is for certain: The Vikings absolutely need Wallace down the stretch. The league's 30th-ranked passing offense can't afford to keep missing opportunities to stretch the field and attack defenses vertically. Diggs has emerged as Bridgewater's go-to player, and that's a plus for Minnesota. But Wallace is still a player with 48 career touchdowns and 34 plays over 40 yards.

Big plays help win games. Wallace has that ability. However, it will be wasted if substantial improvements aren't made in all the areas that have caused his disappearance.