The Vikings head to San Francisco to take on the 49ers this weekend in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. The 49ers boast the top ranked pass defense in the NFL during the regular season, allowing an average of only 169 passing yards per game and 23 passing touchdowns on the year. On the other side, the Vikings pass defense ranked 15th in the regular season allowing 233 yards per game, and also allowed 23 passing touchdowns. Adam Thielen has a price tag of $6200 in DFS contests this week, while Deebo Samuel comes at a $1000 discount with a price of $5200. Who will provide the most bang for your buck this weekend? We break down the fantasy implications below.
Fantasy Football Analysis: Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen
Adam Thielen has had a tumultuous season, to say the least. He started out with decent production, but suffered an injury around the midpoint, and failed to regain traction during the regular season despite returning in Week 15. Thielen made up for all of that disappointment in a big way last weekend, as he led his team to victory against the Saints with an impressive stat line of seven receptions for 129 yards. Unfortunately, his success was capped by his failure to reach the endzone.
If the first playoff game showed us anything, it was that Thielen was fully healthy and he is Kirk Cousins’ go to guy when the game matters. He should continue to see a high volume of targets and will look to find the end zone against the 49ers for only the second time this season. It is important to note, that Thielen reportedly suffered an ankle injury in practice on Wednesday. It is still unknown how severe this injury is and it’s certainly worth monitoring the practice reports for Thursday and Friday to gauge Thielen’s prognosis for Saturday. If he is healthy he could provide good value in DFS line-ups, but would certainly be risky play against a tough defense if the injury looks like it may limit him at all.
Fantasy Football Analysis: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel
Samuel is certainly in the running for best rookie wide receiver of the season, as he has displayed tremendous athleticism and dependable hands over the course of the year. Samuel failed to reach double digit points only two times in Weeks 8-17 of this season, and he averaged 4.2 receptions per game and punched in three 100+ yard performances in that span. The Vikings’ secondary is on the mend, as they did not receive an extra week of rest, with safety Jayron Kearse and cornerback Mackensie Alexander both missing practice Wednesday while battling injuries. With his big play ability against a banged up and tired secondary, Deebo Samuel has significant upside at a bargain price.
Start/Sit Advice:
Start Deebo Samuel over Adam Thielen