Fantasy Football Player Notes

Justin Jefferson has been a yearly stud in fantasy football. Last year he was third in target share (29.2%) and first in air yard share (45.7%) among wide receivers as the WR4 in fantasy points per game. With Adam Thielen another year older and the Vikings failing to add another pass catcher in the offseason, Jefferson should further assert his dominance in 2022.

Adam Thielen has been a model of consistency with top 14 fantasy point-per-game finishes in four of the last five seasons. Last season he finally began to show his age, though. After strong seasons in yards per route run since 2016, Thielen finally slipped to 1.63, which ranked 48th (among wideouts with 50 or more targets, per PFF), immediately behind Mecole Hardman. Thielen has been top 23 in red-zone targets in four of the last five seasons, with three years on his resume with nine or more receiving touchdowns. With declining per route efficiency, he'll need the touchdowns (and many of them) to continue as a productive fantasy wide receiver.

Minnesota Vikings WR K.J. Osborn flashed at times during the 2021 season, but never more so than when he filled in for Adam Thielen. From Weeks 13-17, the second-year pro averaged 12 half-PPR fantasy points per game to go along with six targets.

He also cracked starting lineups as a fantasy WR3 at 44% clip and posted just one fewer top-24 finish than his veteran teammate during the entire 2021 season.

If Thielen starts to break down entering his age 32-season, Osborn would be the prime benefactor in a more pass-happy, fantasy-friendly and 11-personell Vikings offense under new head coach and play caller Kevin O'Connell.

The Rams ran 11-personnel at a league-high 86% of offensive plays last season; Minnesota ran 11-personnel at the fifth-lowest rate in the league.