Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel received “most, if not all” of the first-team reps during team practice on Thursday, according to Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Matt Cassel reportedly taking bulk of first-team snaps, presents fantasy viability for Vikings receivers
The Vikings appear to be set with Matt Cassel under center while Josh Freeman soaks-up his new playbook. We break down the fantasy implications.
Julian Finney
Though Christian Ponder has been medically cleared to play, the Vikings are riding the hot hand after Cassel led the team to its first win versus the Steelers before the team’s Week 5 bye. However, nothing about Cassel’s rep distributions are to be viewed as an indication of the Vikings’ long-term plans for him. He is merely a stop-gap option until newly acquired Josh Freeman digests the team’s playbook.
Fantasy Spin: Though Cassel isn’t a permanent solution at the position, he has already done what Ponder couldn’t do, which is make his receivers viable fantasy options. In Cassel’s only game started, Jerome Simpson and Greg Jennings each posted double-digit outputs in standard scoring leagues.
With defenses selling out to stop Adrian Peterson, and that is to be expected from a stout Panthers front seven, Cassel will look to this duo again. And though Jennings, Simpson and tight end Kyle Rudolph are boom-or-bust players, the “boom” is at least a possibility, unlike the scenario with Ponder under center. Cassel remains off of fantasy football radar.
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