Who Are the 3 Best Vikings?
The easiest way to win a Super Bowl is to have multiple star players. Kansas City has Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones. The latter is in the conversation to be the league’s top defensive tackle, while Kelce and Mahomes are arguably playing at a higher level than anyone ever has at their respective positions.
Who Are the 3 Best Vikings?
The big criticism in recent years concerning the Vikings’ roster is that the team is top-heavy and lacks depth. Those concerns were reasonable. The former Vikings’ general manager made it his priority to keep the drafted players in the building. There is nothing wrong with that idea. Guys like Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter, and Dalvin Cook deservedly received extensions. Because of that philosophy and some mistakes in the drafts, the Vikings lacked depth, and a couple of injuries devastated the organization.
On the flip side, a top-heavy team always has some stars, and the Vikings are no different. The team’s best player is the franchise’s face, Justin Jefferson. Every football fan and every Vikings fan would agree on that. He is in the conversation to be the league’s top player, as seen when he was the top vote-getter in the MVP race among all non-quarterbacks and the winner of the Offensive Player of the Year Trophy.
Besides Jefferson, the Vikings employ other contenders for the two remaining spots in the top 3. Tight end T.J. Hockenson was one of the most productive players at his position in 2022, Kirk Cousins lacks Mahomes-like talent but is extremely reliable and consistent, Danielle Hunter is a disruptive defender, Harrison Smith and Dalvin Cook are no longer in their primes but are still valuable players. Both offensive tackles Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw are Pro Bowl-caliber linemen.
Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus named his top three players of every team. His choices for the Vikes were Jefferson, Hunter, and Darrisaw:
With three straight elite receiving grades to start his career, it is silly just how good Justin Jefferson has been since coming into the league in 2020. Hunter is still a force on that defensive line, as he has recorded double-digit sacks in each of his past three seasons when fully healthy, including 2022. Darrisaw barely secured the last spot over Cook, simply because they feel like two players who could be moving in different directions. Cook, while still a very good back, posted 4.5 yards per carry and an inefficient 23.4% stuff rate in 2022 (how often a back gains zero or negative yards on a carry). Meanwhile, Darrisaw jumped to an elite 91.1 overall blocking grade in his second season.
Hunter and Jefferson started their career in record-breaking fashion, but injuries slowed the defender down. He still managed to be ninth among all defenders in the league with 76 pressures and fifth in QB hurries despite learning some new techniques in a slightly different position in 2022. Even his run-stop rate ranked him 13th among all edge rushers. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores will have a lot of fun scheming with his excellent pass rusher, something he didn’t have in Miami.
Jefferson is by far the most productive young receiver the league has ever seen, at least in terms of receptions and yards, and he is still getting better. His spot on the list was never in doubt.
Darrisaw had a fantastic campaign in 2022, and only a couple of concussions slowed him down. He must prevent sustaining more of them at all costs to keep his playing career alive and for his personal health. The offensive tackle played at an All-Pro level when he was on the field and will be a staple of the Vikings organization for years to come.
Sikkema got the list right. His honorable mentions were Cook and Cousins. Cook slowed down in recent years but still has some gas left, while Cousins just went to his fourth Pro Bowl.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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