Some Vikings Are on ‘Rookie Watch’ in Week 18
As we head into the final game of the regular season, the main question surrounding the Minnesota Vikings game with the Chicago Bears is who will play for the Vikings.
The Vikings aren’t locked into the third seed for the playoffs, but the likelihood of San Francisco losing to a poor Arizona team, thus opening the door for Minnesota to reclaim the number 2 seed, is unlikely.
Some Vikings Are on ‘Rookie Watch’ in Week 18
Should the Vikings play their starters and go all out for the win? Or should they use the opportunity to rest players and give the depth players a chance to shine? This is the hot topic among those of a purple persuasion heading into this week’s game. The right balance is somewhere in the middle.
The abysmal performance in Green Bay is not how I want the team’s starters to go into the playoffs. The hope would be to get some positivity going in Chicago and then start pulling the starters out as the game progresses. I particularly would like to see plenty of opportunity for this year’s rookies. Some should expect to get more playing time than others, so here is a Vikings rookie watch for Week 18.
Jalen Nailor
If there was one positive from the disaster in Green Bay, it was the opportunity late in the game for Jalen Nailor. On a bad day for the Vikings receivers, Nailor led the team with 3 catches from 3 targets for 89 yards and his first NFL touchdown. With the nickname “Speedy,” it’s clear what the Vikings saw in their sixth-round receiver. Nailor hasn’t been shy about claiming he is the fastest player on the Vikings roster. Nailor has a couple of Nevada stats sprint titles to his name and a 100-meter time of 10.7 seconds. Confidence in his speed is warranted.
He also has a 40-yard time of 4.39 seconds. However, he ran a disappointing 4.5 seconds at the NFL combine, considering there was optimism he could go quicker than his time of 4.39. Other than one successful catch on a fake punt and another fake punt where he stood no chance of making the play, the only targets Nailor has seen prior to last Sunday came in the blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys, where he caught 1 of 3 targets for 15 yards.
With another game out of reach, Nailor was involved again and grasped his opportunity to shine. Now, I would like to see him involved in a game that is still competitive. The earlier the Vikings get Nailor engaged on Sunday, the better.
Brian Asamoah
One rookie who has given cause for optimism in recent weeks is linebacker Brian Asamoah. There have been big plays like the forced fumble and recovery against the Giants. Most of all, his general speed and aggression at the position have impressed me and have been just what the Vikings defense has needed.
That’s not to say everything has been perfect. There have been rookie mistakes that you might expect. The best way to irradiate those is experience. The percentage of defensive snaps Asamoah has played has increased weekly for the last four weeks. I would expect that trend to continue.
Esezi Otomewo
Defensive Lineman Esezi Otomewo wasn’t active on game day until Week 14. He has since played every week and has settled into a rotation role. This week would undoubtedly be a golden opportunity for him to see the field a bit more.
Vederian Lowe
The Vikings had an issue with injuries on the offensive line heading into the game at Green Bay. That became a catastrophe when Brian O’Neill and Austin Schlottman went down with season-ending injuries. With that in mind, a decision to keep star left tackle Christian Darrisaw out of the firing line in Chicago makes a ton of sense.
I think Darrisaw will start the game; the options to spell him are rookie Vedarian Lowe and Bobby Evans, who was signed to the practice squad this week.
The Rest
Other rookies with more of an outside chance of some involvement, including Nick Muse. The tight end has been a regular on special teams but hasn’t had any involvement on offense.
Irv Smith won’t play this week, but there is hope he will return from injury for the playoffs. Smith’s return could see the end of Muse’s involvement on game day. So, I expect the rookie’s involvement in Chicago to be minimal and dependent on the Vikings holding a comfortable lead in the second half.
The same can be said of a couple of undrafted rookie defenders, who have been a pleasant surprise already this season. Luiji Vilain filled in well back in Week 6 against Miami when DJ Wonnum missed the game through injury. However, he hasn’t played on defense since.
Linebacker William Kwenkeu played his first snap on defense against Green Bay after becoming a regular on special teams during the back end of the season. Resting the veteran linebackers may be one thing on the agenda, possibly giving Kwenkeu a chance.
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