Jan 15, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans react during the fourth quarter during a wild card game against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
A 0-2 record has accompanied the Minnesota Vikings into the 2023 season, a standing they’ll hope to turn around in eight days at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Minnesota now has a +210 moneyline to reach the postseason, a probability similar to the Tennesee Titans and Denver Broncos.
Along the way, some players have struggled out of the gate, and these are those players ranked in descending order (No. 1 = Worst Player), according to Pro Football Focus.
PFF Grade = 49.0
Ingram claims he’s playing great, but the metrics suggest otherwise.
The second-year Viking encountered a rough rookie season in 2022, although he improved slightly down the stretch. He’s still attempting to figure it all out this year, and PFF believes there’s still a long way to go.
The good news? He did not force any fumbles against his teammates in Week 2. Baby steps.
PFF Grade = 47.1
2023 Stats = 6 Rec | 65 Yards | 1 TD
Osborn appears to be in the process — if it hasn’t happened already — of losing his WR2 job to rookie Jordan Addison, and no Vikings fan is too concerned about it.
The fourth-year wideout was plagued by drops at Philadelphia but did catch a wide-open touchdown to keep the game close. Meanwhile, Addison has exploded onto the scene, grabbing 2 touchdowns on the back of 133 receiving yards through two games.
Osborn will come up clutch in a couple of games later this season — he always does — but his time in Minnesota may be winding down as free agency looms next March.
PFF Grade = 46.5
2023 Stats = 2 Rec | 7 Yards | 0 TD
Ham has only played 35 offensive snaps so far in 2023, so this PFF grade feels like a bit of a raw deal.
The Vikings have also refused to run the football, so calling on Ham as a run-blocker isn’t occurring much in the first place. His grade will likely to improve when Minnesota begins running the football at a normal team’s pace.
PFF Grade = 38.3
2023 Stats = 6 Tackles
The eye test and film suggest Lowry has performed fairly decent, but PFF emphatically disagrees. The former Packer doesn’t generally scrape the bottom of the barrel per PFF scoring, but the first two weeks of 2023 are a different story.
If Lowry doesn’t improve and the Vikings turn the season around, Ndamukong Suh is still a free agent.
PFF Grade = 27.9
2023 Stats = 2 Tackles | 1 QB Pressure
The Vikings have needed somebody to step up during Marcus Davenport’s early-season injury absence, and per PFF, Jones has not been the emergent candidate. He’s played 78 defensive snaps, so his sample size isn’t exactly teensy like Ham’s above.
Thankfully for the Vikings sake, Davenport has eight more days to rest for the Week 3 showdown against the Chargers, and Jones can revert to his reservist EDGE role.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.