Kirk Cousins Fantasy

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has mostly been successful in the NFL when pressured. While he doesn't face as much pressure as he once did, Cousins remains a top-five QB when under duress. His passer rating (91.5) was fifth-best in 2019, his completion percentage under pressure (58.1) was fourth-best and his completion percentage above expectation (plus-3.8) was in the top five. The 31-year-old is often overshadowed by some of the league's stars at the position, but he also lost his No. 1 receiver in Stefon Diggs and his offensive coordinator in Kevin Stefanski. He could take a step back in 2020 in an offense that will lean heavily on the running game. Target Cousins as a midrange QB2 with a low ceiling.

Jun. 5th • 1:48 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins had a 9:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio on deep passes in 2019 and the highest passer rating (121.5) on such throws among NFL.com's Nick Shook's top-10 best deep passers last season. But his deep shots weren't nearly as risky as other QBs, as Cousins attempted deep shots into tight windows just 20.4 percent of the time and his receivers were open on 25.9 percent of his deep pass attempts with an average target separation of 2.2 yards. Cousins did this while being pressured on 31.5 percent of his deep attempts, but his probability for success was high to begin with. But losing Stefon Diggs, his No. 1 deep threat, will surely put a dent in these numbers in 2020. It's why Cousins' fantasy upside won't be as high this year while remaining in a run-first offense.

Jun. 2nd • 4:22 PM

The Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Kirk Cousins agreed to a two-year, $66 million contract extension on Monday, according to sources. Cousins was heading into the final year of his three-year, fully guaranteed $84 million deal that he signed in March of 2018. Counting next year's salary from his old deal, Cousins has a $96 million deal with $61 million guaranteed at signing. He has his critics, but the 31-year-old had 26 touchdowns and only six interceptions in the regular season last year, including a career-high 107.4 passer rating. Cousins has some QB1 upside with Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen as his receivers, but Minnesota is mostly a run-first squad, making him preferable as a QB2 for fantasy owners.

Mar. 16th • 12:24 PM