Fantasy Football: Vikings Bridgewater injured

If the knee injury to Teddy Bridgewater is serious, here’s how it will affect fantasy football leagues everywhere.

According to St. Paul Pioneer Press sports columnist Brian Murphy, Vikings Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went down with a potential knee injury. Shortly after, Bridgewater was taken away in an ambulance.

The obvious takeaway is this is horrible news for the Minnesota Vikings. However, this is also potentially horrible news for any fantasy football stock you had in Vikings players.

Bridgewater has started 28 of the Vikings last 29 regular season games. He showed progression from year one to year two and from year two to this year’s preseason.

In three games this preseason, Bridgewater completed 78 percent of his passes while producing two touchdowns and no turnovers.

He made for an intriguing late round option in fantasy drafts as a QB2. However, in the Vikings run-first offense, Bridgewater’s statistical upside was limited. If you owned Bridgewater, it’s not a huge loss to your team because he shouldn’t have been counted on as a QB1 in the first place. Chances are there’s a QB2 of similar value on the waiver wire.

The same can’t be said for the Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson.

In 2015, Peterson led the NFL in rushing attempts (327), rushing yards (1,485) and tied for the most rushing touchdowns (11). With the possible subtraction of Bridgewater, Peterson and the Vikings offense should see more stacked boxes from defenses in 2016 compared to last year.

Yes, Peterson has overcome eight-man fronts throughout his entire career, and even at times last year. Yet Bridgewater was able to keep defenses somewhat honest in 2015. That will not be the case if Vikings starting QB is Shaun Hill or someone of similar caliber in Week 1 and beyond. If you were debating between Peterson and other RBs in the late first or early second round like Texans Lamar Miller, Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott and Steelers Le’Veon Bell (three game suspension), this should give them all a slight edge over Peterson.

As for the Vikings pass catchers, this is certainly a downgrade for all of them.

In 2015, the Vikings finished dead last in passing attempts (454) and second to last in passing completions (294). That was with their franchise quarterback. Without him, they will more than likely finish in the same area in 2016.

Limited pass attempts from a backup QB will hurt second-year WR Stefon Diggs, who was expected to take the next step in his progression in 2016.

In the Vikings Week 3 preseason game, Diggs and Bridgewater hooked up for 71 yards on five receptions in limited action. It was a good sign Diggs was going to improve on his 720 receiving yards and four touchdowns from a year ago. His fantasy football ADP in the tenth round appeared to be good value.

Now, not so much.

He should be considered a low-upside WR4/5. He’s a player you can’t trust in the Vikings already run-heavy offense now led by a backup caliber QB.

There was some small optimism as of late for Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph.

He finished with three receptions, 56 yards and one touchdown in the Vikings Week 3 dress rehearsal game. Last year, he was the second-most targeted Viking in the passing game. This year, he was expected to compete with Diggs as the most targeted player in the passing game.

With the injury to Bridgewater, Rudolph can’t be looked at more than a low-upside TE2. He has never had more than 53 receptions or 500 receiving yards in his five year NFL career.

If the offense is unable to sustain drives and keep their defense rested on the sidelines, this could hurt the Vikings D/ST which finished as a top seven fantasy football unit last year.

There is a possible silver lining for one Minnesota Viking, and that is backup RB Jerick McKinnon.

The Vikings should be forced to run the ball even more than initially expected. They want to run the ball, keep the clock moving and play great defense. In theory, this should get McKinnon more carries. Also, an inept passing game should also force more check down passes to the running backs.

In Week 3, McKinnon looked like a starting caliber NFL running back when he had 56 rushing yards on only eight carries.

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There’s no doubt in 2016 he’ll eclipse his 73 offensive touches from a season ago, but his upside will always be limited by playing behind Adrian Peterson. He would need an injury to Peterson to make a significant fantasy football impact.