The Minnesota Vikings have turned things around, winning their last three games after a 1-4 start. They defeated the Green Bay Packers, 24-10, on Sunday to get back to .500. However, it isn’t all good news in Minnesota, as quarterback Kirk Cousins is feared to have torn his Achilles.
With Justin Jefferson out, it opened up more opportunities for K.J. Osborn, but how does that change without Kirk Cousins?
With that in mind for fantasy football managers, are any Vikings targets worth considering from the waiver wire?
Should K.J. Osborn Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 9?
The Vikings have been one of the best passing offenses in the league, and that was evident on Sunday before the injury.
In their Week 8 game against the Green Bay Packers, Osborn had an outstanding game, as he finished with eight catches for 99 yards. He was targeted 10 times, which was more than T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison. That is definitely a positive sign, but the loss of Cousins is just as devastating for the team.
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The quarterback situation in Minnesota is obviously the biggest thing to look out for when picking up Osborn. Jaren Hall went in and played for Cousins, but he is only a rookie. To expect him to be able to carry one of the top passing offenses in the NFL isn’t realistic. If you are looking at Osborn, keep an eye on the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.
The Vikings are in a weird spot at 4-4. They aren’t bad enough to get one of the top quarterbacks in next year’s NFL Draft, but they don’t have the answer right now to stay in the playoff race. They could look toward trading for a quarterback who can come in and try and lead them to the playoffs.
If you had asked about signing Osborn with a healthy Cousins, it definitely would have been a good option. Osborn is playing some good football right now. However, with Cousins out for the year, it just isn’t the right time to sign Osborn.
If you are looking for wide receiver help, some other options don’t have near the issue at the quarterback position. The only way this becomes tempting is if the Vikings go for broke and make a huge trade in the next couple of days. If they don’t do that, hold off on Osborn, as his ceiling without Cousins just isn’t the same moving forward.
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