Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart

Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph expressed unhappiness with his role in the offense over the last two seasons and isn't willing to accept a pay cut heading into the 2021 season. Rudolph went from being the team's second- or third-leading receiver from 2015-18 to being an afterthought in the passing attack. The Vikings would gain $5.1 million in salary cap space if they were to release Rudolph, and they are projected to be $12.8 million over the cap. He has three years remaining on his deal, so they could also look to restructure his deal. The 31-year-old played in just 12 games in 2020 and finished the year on Injured Reserve with a Lisfranc sprain in his foot, while fellow tight end Irv Smith finished third in receiving with 365 yards and five touchdowns. Rudolph had 28 catches on 35 targets last season, his lowest output since 2014. With Smith on the rise, Rudolph is off the fantasy radar in redraft leagues heading into 2021 if he remains in Minnesota.

13 hours ago

Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak officially announced his retirement on Thursday after 25 seasons of coaching in the NFL. He was hired in Minnesota in 2019 to be the team's assistant head coach/offensive advisor, serving as the offensive coordinator in 2020. The 59-year-old was leaning toward retirement after the season, but he has made it official. The Vikings will have their sixth offensive coordinator in eight seasons in 2021. The team ranked fourth in yards per game (393.3) and finished 11th in points at 26.9 per game in 2020 under Kubiak. Quarterback Kirk Cousins had a career year and running back Dalvin Cook made Pro Bowls each of the last two seasons. Kubiak will retire with four Super Bowl rings to his name -- one as Denver's head coach, back-to-back titles in 1997-98 as Denver's offensive coordinator and his first Super Bowl ring in 1994 as the 49ers quarterbacks coach.

5 days ago

Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is mulling retirement after two seasons with the team, according to a source. The 59-year-old has spent 25 seasons coaching in the NFL and was the Vikings play-caller during the 2020 season. Kubiak has been the fifth offensive coordinator under head coach Mike Zimmer since he took over in 2014, with the Vikings finishing fourth in total offense and 11th in scoring under Kubiak this year. Quarterback Kirk Cousins finished with a career-high 35 touchdowns, running back Dalvin Cook ran for a career-high 1,557 yards and 17 touchdowns and rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson broke the franchise record for catches and receiving yards (1,400). Even if Kubiak retires, Zimmer won't be looking to make sweeping changes to the offensive scheme after the success they had in 2020.

21 days ago

Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison served as the team's lead back during Sunday's win over the Lions with Dalvin Cook (personal) not available and he compiled the first multi-touchdown outing of his career. Mattison carried the ball 21 times for 95 yards, finding the end zone once on the ground while also crossing the goal line as a receiver, where he snagged three catches for 50 yards. With Cook set to serve as Minnesota's lead back for the foreseeable future, Mattison's fantasy outlook entering 2021 won't be high; but he has shown a propensity for compiling numbers when given the opportunity, making him an upside DFS or streamer option should Cook not be in the fold for a given contest next year.

23 days ago

Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison is expected to serve as the lead back for the Vikings on Sunday against the Lions with Dalvin Cook (personal) out. Mattison doesn't have the upside of Cook, but he should be set to see plenty of touches, especially near the goal-line. The Lions run defense has plenty of holes in it, making Mattison a solid option as an RB2 this week. In Week 5, he received 23 touches and managed 136 yards from scrimmage.

24 days ago