Minnesota

Vikings

Nailor hasn’t caught more than two passes or topped 16 in over a month. He served as the team’s No. 2 receiver early in the season when Jordan Addison was hurt but is now a rotational WR3. He will pop up for the occasional touchdown but doesn’t see the ball enough to warrant fantasy consideration.

Hockenson’s role took a hit in Week 11 and he caught just two passes for 13 yards. Minnesota platooned him with Josh Oliver and even gave Johnny Mundt a few reps. Oliver missed Week 12 with an ankle issue, paving the way for Hockenson’s 2024 breakout. Hockenson cleared his previous season-high by over 40 yards and hit triple-digits for the first time since Week 10 of the 2023 season. Even if Oliver returns next week, Hockenson has done enough to maintain a high-volume role going forward. He will be in the top half of the TE1 ranks for Week 13 versus the Cardinals.

Akers entered the week with 26 touches on a near 1B role over his past two appearances. Aaron Jones put plenty of space between himself and Akers versus the Bears with 22 carries to Akers’ three. He also caught three balls while Akers reeled in his only target for a six-yard gain. Akers remains the clear backup to Jones but doesn’t have standalone fantasy value heading into Week 13.

Jones opened the day with a lost fumble at the goal line. He was hit behind the line of scrimmage and had the ball knocked out while attempting a second-effort push toward the end zone. He has struggled to punch in his looks near the end zone this season but made fantasy managers whole in the third quarter with a score from three yards own. Jones also easily out-carried backup Cam Akers, who ran three times and caught his only target. Firmly ahead of Akers in the pecking order for touches, Jones is a staple of the RB2 ranks heading into Week 13 versus the Cardinals.

An Aaron Jones goal line fumble on the opening drive foreshadowed a shaky four quarters for the Vikings. The highs were high and included completions of 45 and 69 yards to Jordan Addison. The lows, on the other hand, were equally as frustrating. Minnesota had a 40-yard touchdown to Justin Jefferson called back by offensive pass interference. The Vikings eventually settled for a field goal. The lead looked insurmountable at the time but vanished in just two minutes thanks to a quick touchdown, the first successful onside kick of the year, and a field goal. Darnold briefly appeared to be choking the game away with a catastrophic sack on Minnesota’s first offensive snap in overtime. The journeyman recovered admirably with six straight completions to set up a game-winning field goal. Darnold also appeared to roll his ankle late in the game. He limped off the field for a handful of plays but eventually took over and looked fine. He will likely have his practice reps limited this week as a precaution. Darnold remains near the top of the QB2 ranks for Week 13 versus the Cardinals.

The Bears diverted all of their defensive resources to stopping Justin Jefferson this week and found success in their efforts. Jefferson was held to two receptions for 27 yards. The cost was a pair of 100-yard performances from Addison and T.J. Hockenson. Addison broke multiple chunk plays including a 69-yard bomb from Sam Darnold that saw Addison come down just short of the end zone. He leveraged the open looks into career-highs in catches and receiving yards. Addison won’t sustain these lofty numbers into Week 13, but his blowup serves as a reminder to leave him on the bench at your own risk. He will remain a high-ceiling WR3 for his upcoming matchup with the Cardinals.

First they came for Jefferson’s ceiling. Then they took his floor. At the end of four quarters, this was the worst box score of his career with just one catch for seven yards. He did break loose for a long touchdown on the Vikings’ final drive of regulation, but the play was called back on a penalty. Brandon Powell set an illegal pick that sprung Jefferson loose for the score, negating the play. A 20-yard grab in overtime saved Jefferson from a career-worst day but did little to cushion the blow for fantasy managers. While not useful for fantasy purposes, the Bears’ fixation on Jefferson allowed Jordan Addison to break out for 162 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions. Better days are ahead for Jefferson with the Cardinals on tap for Week 13, but he has just three 100-yard games this year and no multi-score performances to his name. His WR1 status is based primarily on a floor that looks a little shakier coming out of Week 12.

Oliver was ruled out on Friday with an ankle injury. His absence will clear the way for T.J. Hockenson’s role to grow in his fourth game back from his 2023 torn ACL. Johnny Mundt should also see a few extra snaps with Oliver out.

Per Schefter, the recently released quarterback wants to sign with a contender and what happens in Week 12 is expected to influence his decision. Jones could sign with a team out of the postseason hunt and make a few meaningless starts to end the year, but signing with a playoff team may do more to rehab his image in the long-run. Once he clears waivers Monday, Jones will be free to sign wherever he wants. Even after flaming out in New York, the former No. 6 overall pick has the physical tools to be a capable backup for a playoff team, meaning his services will be in reasonably high demand next week.

Oliver doesn’t have standalone fantasy value, but he was splitting reps with T.J. Hockenson, who just returned from the torn ACL he suffered late in the 2023 season. Oliver’s absence may force the Vikings to deploy Hockenson in a full-time role, giving him TE1 upside for Week 12.