The Minnesota Vikings have been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL through the first half of the season. They have the second best record in the NFL at 7-1 so far, with their only loss coming at the hands of the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings are looking likely to run away with the NFC North at this point, and they are challenging the Eagles for the top seed in the NFC right now.
Still, the Vikings have had a rather strange start to the 2022 campaign. Their current six game win streak has seen them win each of their games by eight or less points, highlighting how had a couple of plays gone the other way, things could look much different for them right now. They may be 7-1, but the Vikings aren't necessarily a powerhouse.
For that reason, it's made it tough to get a true understanding of this team. They are winning at a high rate, but that doesn't mean everyone is playing at a high level for them. With that in mind, let's run through the two best and worst players for the Vikings through the first eight games of the season.
Vikings best players
2. Za'Darius Smith
The Vikings were hoping to beef up their pass rush when they signed Za'Darius Smith in free agency this offseason, and boy, has he been special early on this season. Smith has played with a vengeance after being let walk by the Green Bay Packers this past offseason, and the Vikings have to be thrilled that he decided to sign with them just so that he could prove to the Packers that they were wrong to let him leave in free agency.
Smith has been the Vikings most impactful pass rusher in the early going, as he has racked up 8.5 sacks through eight games so far. Along with that, Smith has 27 tackles, a league-leading 13 tackles for a loss, 15 QB hits, and three passes deflected. Smith has made a habit of residing in his opponents backfield, and he seems poised for a huge second half of the season.
1. Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson entered the 2022 season looking to prove he is the best wide receiver in the NFL, and if it weren't for Tyreek Hill's monster debut season with the Miami Dolphins, he likely would be accomplishing that goal. Jefferson has once again been the focal point of the Vikings offense, and he has continued to impress despite Minnesota's inconsistent aerial attack so far this season.
Jefferson's stats so far (59 REC, 867 YDS, 4 total TD) have him on pace to break his career-highs in receptions and yards, and while he hasn't found the end zone as frequently as he did back in 2021, that shouldn't take away from Jefferson's impressive start to the season. He's posted over 100 receiving yards in five of his eight games, and had 98 yards in one of the games he didn't. Jefferson has been in top form early on, and seems likely to continue that as the season progresses.
Vikings worst players
2. Alexander Mattison
Alexander Mattison wanted a trade heading into the 2022 season, as he felt he was ready to be the top running back for another team. And while Mattison hasn't exactly played a lot this season, he hasn't been very effective when he's played, and it hasn't been a great look for Mattison, who was definitely hoping to have more work and be more productive in a contract year.
Mattison has found a way to make an impact filling in for Dalvin Cook in previous season, but he hasn't been nearly as effective working behind Cook this season (37 CAR, 138 YDS, 2 TD, 9 REC, 58 YDS, 1 TD). Mattison isn't playing a ton admittedly, but in the brief opportunities he has received to prove he's ready to take the next forward, Mattison hasn't done much to impress this season, and the Vikings don't really have a reason to play him over Cook at this point.
1. Kirk Cousins
The Vikings may be 7-1, but that isn't really due to standout play from Kirk Cousins, which is surprising to say the least. Minnesota's offense has leaned heavily on their star players in Jefferson and Cook early on, and Cousins has often done more to hurt his team than help them. It's a big reason why the Vikings are in such a confusing spot.
Cousins hasn't necessarily been bad this season (197/304, 1999 YDS, 13 TD, 6 INT) but his completion percentage is down, as is his yards per game, while his six interceptions already nearly equal the seven he threw in 2021. Cousins has been serviceable, and you can't really complain about a 7-1 record, but he isn't the reason for Minnesota's hot start, and it will be interesting to see whether he can improve his performance over the second half of the season.
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