• Puka Nacua shines in his return: The Los Angeles Rams star extensive receiver was on a pitch depend however made essentially the most of his snaps for a 100-yard efficiency.
• The elite fantasy choices didn’t disappoint: Both Justin Jefferson and Kyren Williams rank among the many prime seven in our remainder of season rankings, and each completed with over 100 yards on this recreation.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full entry to all of our in-season fantasy instruments, together with weekly rankings, the Start-Sit Optimizer and extra. Sign up now!
Estimated studying time: 5 minutes
PFF’s fantasy soccer recap focuses on participant utilization and stats, breaking down all of the important data it is advisable to obtain fantasy success in 2024.
Minnesota Vikings @ Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp return: Both star Rams extensive receivers returned from accidents that had stored each out for over a month.
Kupp was a restricted participant in follow final week and appeared virtually able to play. He was a full participant this week, so he was anticipated to be the clear lead receiver. Nacua’s follow window was opened up on Tuesday. He was a restricted participant in follow, and it was a shock he was activated for this recreation.
Kupp was on a slight snap depend and Nacua on a much bigger snap depend, however the Rams made it a degree to get Nacua the ball early. Three of the primary 4 passes all went to Nacua, and he remained the point of interest of the passing recreation for the remainder of the sport. He was focused on 40.9% of his routes, which was a career-high for him in a recreation. This was the third time in his profession he completed with at the least 4.8 yards per route run.
Kupp had a number of targets however wasn’t as efficient. He at the least caught a landing cross to save lots of anybody who trusted him in fantasy leagues this week. Now that the Rams have prolonged time earlier than their subsequent recreation, we should always anticipate each gamers to play the next proportion of Los Angeles’ offensive snaps subsequent week. Both are again to being must-start gamers.
Demarcus Robinson remained the Rams’ third extensive receiver. He was their solely clear X receiver final season. He remained in that function whereas Kupp and Nacua had been injured and stayed in that function for this recreation. Tutu Atwell was Robinson’s backup final yr, in Week 1 and this recreation. While Kupp and Nacua had been out, Atwell moved to enjoying extra of Nacua’s function. Tyler Johnson was Nacua and Kupp’s backup on this recreation.
Jordan Whittington missed this week as a result of a shoulder harm. Once he’s again, he’ll change Johnson or be part of him as Nacua and Kupp’s backup. The solely motive to carry onto Atwell or Whittington in fantasy leagues is the likelihood that Kupp will get traded. They will be launched as soon as the commerce deadline passes and Kupp continues to be on the Rams.
Robinson scored two touchdowns on this recreation, however they had been his solely two catches. He will be left on the waiver wire regardless of his 17.5 PPR factors as a result of his goal share will stay low because it’s been all season.
The Vikings rely closely on Aaron Jones: The Vikings’ lead operating again performed in 92% of the offensive snaps, setting a brand new profession excessive.
Early within the season, Jones’ function within the Vikings’ operating again rotation was very constant, enjoying 55-61% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps. Ty Chandler performed 35% and C.J. Ham took the remaining in third-down conditions.
In Week 4, Jones’ enjoying time skyrocketed to 82% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps, however this wasn’t alarming on the time as a result of he was enjoying his former staff in his former stadium. He proceeded to undergo an harm early in Week 5. When he returned in Week 7 after the Vikings’ bye week, he performed 72% of the snaps, making it seem to be his bigger function may very well be right here to remain.
This week, his function went to a brand new excessive. He didn’t play on the third drive of the sport, which was a three-and-out, however exterior of that, he was persistently on the sector exterior of a third-and-21. He failed to interrupt a long term on this recreation, however he touched the ball over 20 occasions. He may very well be a buy-low candidate as a result of only a few operating backs are enjoying as a lot as Jones proper now. The Vikings have a better-than-average schedule for operating backs over the remainder of the season.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Vikings tight finish T.J. Hockenson was not activated from the bodily unable to carry out record for this recreation. He was restricted in follow all week. He will have to be placed on the 53-man energetic roster Friday, or he gained’t be eligible to play this season. Robert Tonyan was activated off the follow squad to be the third tight finish for Minnesota on this recreation.
- Vikings operating again Myles Gaskin was a wholesome inactive for a second straight week, whereas Cam Akers was the third operating again. It wouldn’t be stunning if Gaskin is launched as soon as they want a roster spot at a special place.
- The Rams have gotten backup tight finish Davis Allen extra concerned in current weeks. He set a season-high in offensive snaps with 12 final week, and he broke that season-high Thursday night time earlier than the fourth quarter started. These are largely in two tight finish units and run-blocking conditions, so this minimally impacts Colby Parkinson.
Table Notes
- Snaps embrace performs referred to as again as a result of penalties, together with offensive holding or defensive cross interference. The different three stats have these performs eliminated.
- Targets could differ from official NFL sources. The almost certainly discrepancy can be from a transparent thrown-away cross, the place the NFL could give the goal to the closest receiver, whereas this knowledge is not going to.
- Carries are solely on designed performs. Quarterback scrambles gained’t depend for the whole variety of carries within the recreation.