Skip to main content
Advertising

News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

Presented by

Lunchbreak: Dalvin Cook & Justin Jefferson Make PFF's Top 50 NFL Players

Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson continue to be highly touted around the league.

Analytics site Pro Football Focus on Friday rolled out its list of "50 best players in the NFL right now," and Sam Monson included the Vikings teammates.

Jefferson was slated at No. 17, and Cook came in at 37. Monson wrote the following of Minnesota's third-year receiver:

Jefferson has more receiving yards than any other player in NFL history after their first two seasons. It's impossible to say he is the best receiver in the game right now, but it's also impossible to say with any certainty that he isn't. Jefferson is a complete weapon for the Vikings passing game and will now play in an offense under new [Head Coach] Kevin O'Connell that features the passing game even more.

Monson ranked two other receivers ahead of Jefferson on his list: Davante Adams at No. 4 and Cooper Kupp at No. 13.

Cook was the third running back in the group, following Derrick Henry at No. 16 and Jonathan Taylor at No. 21.

Cook hasn't had as good of blocking in front of him as some other elite running backs, but his ability to make something out of nothing shows up time and time again for the Vikings. He has averaged 3.0 yards after contact for his career while posting double-digit breakaway runs of 15 or more yards in each of the past three seasons.

Monson's top 10 players were as follows:

DT Aaron Donald (Rams), T Trent Williams (49ers), QB Aaron Rogers (Packers), Adams, QB Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), QB Josh Allen (Bills), OLB T.J. Watt (Steelers), QB Tom Brady (Buccaneers), G Zack Martin (Cowboys) and TE Travis Kelce (Chiefs).

ESPN names best position group for all 32 NFL teams

Which of the Vikings position groups is their strongest?

Football Outsiders, via ESPN+, recently tabbed the best position group for all 32 NFL teams, and they spotlighted Minnesota's receiving corps.

Justin Jefferson is not just the Vikings best player but one of the best four or five wide receivers in the NFL. Jefferson's inside-outside versatility, speed and elite route-running skills make him a threat from anywhere.

Adam Thielen also remains one of the league's best red zone threats year after year, while K.J. Osborn offers some valuable speed in spurts.

View the best photos of Vikings RB Dalvin Cook from the 2021 season.

Football Outsiders picked offensive positions for three of the four NFC North teams, praising the Bears running backs group and the Lions offensive line.

Taylor Decker is a solid left tackle, while Penei Sewell really came on strong at right tackle down the stretch last season and should only be better with another offseason under his belt. The Lions also return center Frank Ragnow, a force in the run game who will help with sorting out protections in the passing game better than backup Evan Brown last season. The guards are nothing to write home about, but when flanked by good players on either side of them, they will be enough to keep this unit rolling.

In looking at Green Bay, Football Outsiders said the Packers secondary is its strongest unit.

The Packers do not have a weakness in the secondary. Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage make for one of the better and more versatile safety pairings in the league.

At cornerback, the Packers got electric play out of Rasul Douglas last season and saw their first-round rookie, Eric Stokes, perform rather well despite teams constantly picking on him. Add in the return of Jaire Alexander, one of the league's stickiest cornerbacks, and it's hard to find the guy defenses will want to pick on.

Bid on Vikings memorabilia for good cause

Vikings fans have two more days to bid on silent auction items, including a football signed by Harrison Smith and a helmet signed by Cook, to support a cause championed by Vikings Legend Zach Line.

Ten different items are up for auction here, and all proceeds will benefit "42 Strong," a mentorship program established in Oxford, Michigan. The foundation is in memory of Tate Myre, a high school football player who tragically was killed in the November 2021 shooting at the school where Line now coaches.

Advertising