The Vikings roll out two studs at receiver each and every week. But even dating back to 2016, the team has had its issues filling its third receiver spot with a reliable playmaker who can take advantage of the opposing team’s third corner. Jarius Wright, Cordarrelle Patterson, Laquon Treadwell, Aldrick Robinson, Olabisi Johnson, and Chad Beebe have all tried to fill the role throughout the years. Yet, none of them have made significant fantasy noise.
Enter second-year wideout, KJ Osborn. Through two games, Osborn has 12 catches for 167 yards and a score and is coming off a 5-91-1 game against the Cardinals. Irv Smith’s season-ending injury and the Kyle Rudolph release opened up an even greater opportunity for the team’s third pass-catcher. Thus far, Osborn has stepped up.
“He’s doing a great job,” Kirk Cousins said of Osborn. “We mix up our personnel groupings a lot … so it is a constant rotation. K.J. is doing the same things he did in OTAs and through training camp. He’s continuing to do that through Week 1 and 2.”
KJ Osborn through two weeks as MIN has shifted to more 3-WR sets sans Irv Smith:
* 103-of-144 snaps (71%)
* 78 routes on 87 Kirk Cousins dropbacks (89.6%)
* 15 targets for an 18.2% share
* 12-167-1 line— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) September 20, 2021
After winning the job over veteran DeDe Westbrook and electric rookie Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Osburn is seeing 7.5 targets per game — which plants him above the likes of Mike Evans, Davante Adams, and Julio Jones.
“I love it,” Osborn said. “Being able to be out there and communicate. He’s trusting me, and we’re hitting on these big plays. These fourth-down plays, third-down plays, late in the game. I think it’s really building our trust, and I look forward to it keep on building.”
His precise route-running and reliable hands put him at Flex consideration moving forward. He would also get a significant boost if Justin Jefferson or Adam Thielen miss time during the season.
Overall, it appears the Vikings have finally found a reliable third wide receiver to take the heat off Jefferson and Thielen while legitimizing his own fantasy outlook.
Osburn has Week 3 streamer appeal against the Seahawks and he should shoot up the ranks on The Wolf’s Rest of Season Fantasy Football Rankings.
