Tag: Justin Jefferson

Touchdown Wire’s Top 12 NFL rookies in the 2020 season

Looking at some of the best rookies in the league through ten weeks of the season.

Earlier this week, ESPN writers released their countdown of the top ten rookies in the NFL this season.

It… got some attention.

Putting together any kind of list like that is destined to become a lightning rod, because trying to encapsulate the top players around the league, whether rookies or veterans, is something that everyone can drop an opinion on.

Including us here at Touchdown Wire.

So not to be outdone, here is Touchdown Wire’s Top 12 rookies this season. This is based primarily on film study of the league over the entire season to date. Because there are many deserving players, we also included an Honorable Mention section for those who are worthy of mention but did not quite make the cut.

Eagles Jalen Reagor focused on his own ‘journey’ amid comparisons to another rookie WR

Eagle Jalen Reagor focused on his own ‘journey’ amid comparisons to other rookie wide receivers

[jwplayer vZqP8aRU]

Rookie in every sport having to enter their profession being compared to their peers has been a rite of passage for decades and it won’t be changing for Eagles star wideout Jalen Reagor.

Reagor was the No. 21 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and the minute the Vikings selected Justin Jefferson right behind him at No. 22, the comparisons started. Many around the league felt the former LSU star was simply a good slot receiver, but his breakout as a rookie has now put pressure on Reagor as they’re now compared on a daily basis.

Reagor, who has battled injuries early on during his rookie season, told reporters that he’s singularly focused on his own “journey” and refuses to buy-into any comparisons with Jefferson.

Reagor has been a professional and said all the correct things during interviews, but it has to be hard when critics and analysts are labeling you a bust after nine games simply based on the play of the guy drafted one pick behind you.

On Monday night, Jefferson joined Randy Moss as the only rookies in Vikings history with a 100-yard receiving game on Monday Night Football.

Jefferson’s 4 100-yard receiving games this season are tied with Moss for the most by a rookie in Vikings history.

Against the Bears, Jefferson had eight catches on 10 targets for 135 yards in a win on Monday Night Football. It was the fourth time Jefferson’s been over 100 yards in 10 games this season and he now has 42 receptions for 742 yards and three touchdowns.

In the two games since his return from a thumb injury, Reagor has seven catches for 63 yards, six rushing yards, and a touchdown.

In the four games he’s played in this season, Reagor has 12 receptions for 159 yards and one TD.

Of the 13 wide receivers drafted in the 1st and 2nd round of the 2020 draft, Reagor ranks in the top-10 in catches per game, yards per game, yards per catch, catch percentage, and touchdowns per catch.

Reagor’s having a solid rookie season and as his chemistry with Carson Wentz grows, so will his production. It just so happens that Jefferson has been playing out of his mind as a rookie and is the top-5 of every statistical ranking for rookies.

Reagor’s future in Philadelphia is bright and his time will come even as fans and analysts get caught up in the moment.

[listicle id=643462]

[lawrence-related id=643514,643470,643506,643475]

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears: Everything we know

See the game recap from the Minnesota Vikings’ game vs. the Chicago Bears!

Before the Vikings played the Bears at Soldier Field on Monday, there were plenty of reasons for Minnesota fans to worry.

For one, Kirk Cousins has never beaten Chicago in his time with Minnesota. He has also struggled in prime-time games throughout his career.

The Bears have been slumping, but the team still has a very good defense. And Nick Foles serves as an important reminder of what can happen to even an elite Vikings defense.

Faced with the difficult task of winning three divisional games in a row, the Vikings broke through a wall instead of hitting one, winning in Chicago and moving to 4-5. For the Vikings, their playoff hopes aren’t just a long shot anymore; they’re a definite possibility.

3 keys for the Bears defense vs. Vikings in Week 10

As the Bears prepare for face the Vikings, here’s what Chicago’s defense needs to do to slow down Minnesota’s offense in Week 10.

The Chicago Bears defense has been the saving grace of this team all season. Heading into Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears will be relying on their defense to continue the trend.

The Bears need their defense to dominate this game in order to have any chance of winning with a struggling offense. And considering what happened the last time these two teams met in primetime, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another dominant outing by Chicago’s defense to help end the Bears’ three-game losing streak.

As the Bears prepare for face the Vikings, here’s what Chicago’s defense needs to do to slow down Minnesota’s offense in Week 10.

Fantasy football: 5 sleepers to start, 5 starters to sit in Week 10

Fantasy football sleepers, starts, sits, Week 10.

We’ve hit double-digits in the NFL season as Week 10 is here.

Now more than ever, especially if you’re still alive in the playoff push, setting your lineup correctly for the weekend is a major key in fantasy football. Nothing worse than having a guy on the bench going off or someone in your starting lineup that has laid a dud.

Let us help you right here. Our five sleepers to start and five starters to sit in fantasy football Week 10:

Sleepers to start

Browns wide receiver Rashard Higgins. Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

QB Jared Goff, Rams

vs. Seahawks

Jared Goff wasn’t great going into the Rams’ bye last weekend… but we’ve hit the point with the Seahawks defense where we can pretty much start whoever plays against them.

RB Antonio Gibson, Washington

at Lions

With Alex Smith starting, their running backs are going to be elite for fantasy production because he throws to them a lot. The Lions also are the worst defense in terms of fantasy football against opposing running backs, just look at Dalvin Cook last week.

RB Leonard Fournette, Bucs

at Panthers

The Bucs are pretty inconsistent with their rushing attack and just attack in general. We never know who will lead the way. The Panthers are the fifth-worst team in fantasy football against opposing running backs, though… so Fournette should get some looks.

WR Rashard Higgins, Browns

vs. Texans

Rashard Higgins should have a good look to heat back up against the Texans since Odell Beckham’s still done for the year. Houston has the sixth-worst fantasy football defense vs. WRs, and they’ve allowed nine TDs to the position in the last four games.

WR DJ Chark, Jaguars

at Packers

DJ Chark had 146 yards and a touchdown via QB Jake Luton last week. The Packers have a better secondary than the Texans, but their No. 1 CB in Jaire Alexander is still in the concussion protocol, which would make things massively easier for Chark.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

Chicago vs. Minnesota: Which Vikings player would you want on the Bears?

The Vikings have no shortage of talent that they’ll be leaning on in Monday’s matchup, including RB Dalvin Cook and LB Eric Kendricks.

The Chicago Bears will face the Minnesota Vikings for the first time this season in a divisional primetime battle on Monday night. While there was a time when the Vikings game felt like an easy win, that’s not the case entering Week 10.

The Bears are coming off a disheartening 24-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans, a game that wasn’t as close as it appeared, which dropped them to three straight losses this season. Chicago’s offense has hit rock bottom, and they’re trying to find some semblance of a rhythm despite an array of concerns.

Meanwhile, the Vikings have won two straight games after starting the season 1-5. It feels like the Bears and Vikings are trending in different directions. Minnesota has found a rhythm with back-to-back wins over divisional foes the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, and they have their sights set on Chicago next.

The Vikings have no shortage of talent that they’ll be leaning on in Monday’s matchup, including running back Dalvin Cook, linebacker Anthony Barr defensive end Danielle Hunter and receiver Adam Thielen.

As Chicago prepares to face Minnesota, which Vikings player would you want on the Bears?

VOTE!

 

Vikings have six players rank in the top 10 for their position, per PFF

The Minnesota Vikings were well represented on PFF’s recent positional rankings.

The Vikings have not always played well this year, but there have still been plenty of breakout performers amidst the disappointment.

So it makes sense that Minnesota is well represented in Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings so far. The outlet featured six different Vikings players in the top 10 of its rankings.

The Vikings are 3-5 and have a chance to get back on track against the Bears on Monday. To do so, the team will need quite a bit of help from these six.

Here are the Vikings players featured on PFF’s ranks, followed by where they slot into the list:

Michael Jordan ‘impressed’ by Vikings rookie Justin Jefferson

Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has garnered some positive attention from former NBA Michael Jordan.

Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has taken the NFL by storm in his rookie season.

Jefferson has tallied 563 receiving yards in seven games and just five starts. He also has three touchdown receptions.

His level of play has caught the attention of fans and analysts across the league — Michael Jordan included.

Ahmad Rashad, a former wideout for the Vikings, recently told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press what Jordan said about Jefferson.

‘’That kid’s got a lot of talent,’ ” Rashad said to Tomasson. “He’s certainly impressed by that kid.”

Told about it Wednesday, Jefferson was thrilled by what Jordan said.

“It’s a great honor, to be honest,” Jefferson told Tomasson. “My dad loves (Jordan). My dad was a basketball player who watched him a lot, so it’s an honor to hear that from him.”

Through the first half of the NFL season, Jefferson is a legitimate candidate to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. If the Vikings want any hope of turning their season around, they will have to rely heavily on a rookie wideout.

Vikings’ top performers through the first half of the season

Here are some first-half rewards for Minnesota Vikings fans.

Despite not having a good record to show for it, the Vikings have had some key performers stand out so far.

The team is 2-5, but Dalvin Cook is a legitimate candidate for the rushing title. He is second in the league in rushing so far, going for 652 yards.

There’s also Justin Jefferson. He has been a standout rookie for the team, helping replace the production that Stefon Diggs left behind.

So it hasn’t all been bad, and with the team staying quiet as the NFL trade deadline came to a close, there looks to be a slight chance at the playoffs. I wouldn’t count on it, but still.

Here are some of the Vikings’ top performers thus far:

Touchdown Wire names two former LSU offensive players ‘underrated’

Touchdown Wire recognized a pair of LSU players as underrated.

LSU has seen several of its football players go on to be celebrated and recognized for their abilities in the NFL, but there are also several other who have been quietly effective or just haven’t gotten the type of credit that’s due to them.

Touchdown Wire took the time to recognize two of those players in  Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth — both of which took the field in Baton Rouge at one point — as some of the league’s most underrated offensive players.

The network’s Doug Farrar noted the significant numbers Jefferson has put up during his rookie season.

Since the NFL’s 1970 merger, only five players have posted more receiving yards in their first seven games than Jefferson’s 563: Anquan Boldin, Odell Beckham Jr., Marques Colston, Stefon Diggs, and Amari Cooper. That Jefferson has done that with just 31 catches, and with a quarterback in Kirk Cousins who needs his GPS replaced several times a game, is pretty impressive. Primarily a slot receiver at LSU, Jefferson has proven to have every asset you want in a primary outside receiver — tremendous route understanding and awareness, the ability to combine speed and leverage, and a real knack for making the contested catch. The Vikings have wisely decided to re-create their offense around the run game in the second half of the season, but when Jefferson does get the ball, watch out.

[lawrence-related id=12553]

As for Whitworth, offensive lineman don’t typically get a lot of credit as it is, but the amount he’s done to propel an offense is notable and should not go unnoticed.

Whitworth will turn 39 on December 12, and he’s played both guard and tackle in his NFL career (which goes back to 2006) at an exceedingly high level. He’s continued that into his 15th NFL season, allowing no sacks, no quarterback hits, and six quarterback hurries in 316 pass-blocking snaps. He’s also still a plus run-blocker who has experienced a bit of a performance renaissance over the last two seasons — since the beginning of 2019, per Pro Football Focus, he’s given up just one sack in 1.026 pass-blocking snaps. There are few more fundamentally sound offensive linemen in Whitworth’s era, and it will be interesting to see how his Hall of Fame discussion goes five years after he retires — whenever that may be.

Stay tuned to watch how both players continue to contribute as Jefferson plays his next game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, and Whitworth’s Rams take on the Seattle Seahawks next week.

[vertical-gallery id=12523]