Lunchbreak: Kendricks & Jefferson Make PFF's All-Pro Team Through Week 12

[Viktor]

Justin Jefferson made it as far as he did in the draft because of questions about whether he could be as successful outside at the NFL level as he was in college lined up in the slot. Apparently, the answer isn't just "yes" — it's emphatically so. Jefferson is second only to Adams in yards per route run this season (2.91) and has three single-game PFF grades above 90, with one more of 86.6. He has caught 73.2 [percent] of the passes thrown his way and continues to dominate even when Adam Thielen is missing from the Vikings lineup.


Monson also listed second-team players for each position, and he included Vikings running back Dalvin Cook in that lineup behind first-team selection Derrick Henry (Titans).


Gil Brandt 'not counting Vikings out' from postseason race


As the playoffs loom closer and closer, NFL.com's Gil Brandt took a look at seven "fringe teams" that he's "not counting out" down the stretch: Indianapolis, San Francisco, Arizona, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Minnesota and New England.


The Vikings currently sit at No. 8 in the NFC, one spot out of a Wild Card berth, and in second place in the NFC North behind the Packers (8-3).


For each team, Brandt opined on what he likes and doesn't like. He also provided a general outlook for the final five weeks of the regular season. Brandt highlighted Minnesota's offense "headed by" Cook, Thielen and Jefferson, but he criticized the Vikings "23rd-ranked defense, which is the worst Minnesota has fielded since Mike Zimmer became head coach in 2014."


Brandt wrote:


The Vikings would really be sitting pretty right now if they hadn't laid an egg in a Week 11 home loss to the Cowboys. Still, they have a strong shot to climb back to .500 against the lowly Jaguars and, with the Cardinals and Bears skidding, have a good chance to be in the mix down the stretch. Minnesota's postseason fate may rest on the team's ability to pull off a road upset against either the Bucs or the Saints.


The Vikings remaining schedule is as follows: vs. Jaguars, at Buccaneers, vs. Bears, at Saints, at Lions.