Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph will require surgery for his groin injury and will be sidelined for "about six weeks," according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network. Rudolph had to leave Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints due to the injury and did not return. He's the team's starting tight end.
Kyle Rudolph could miss 6 weeks with injury; backups offer no fantasy value
Kyle Rudolph is set to miss some time, and his backups don’t inspire much confidence. We break down the fantasy implications.
Michael Thomas
Rudolph was off to a so-so start to his 2014 season, with 10 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown before he went down with the injury. That included three catches against the Saints. It's worth noting that the Vikings don't exactly have a rock-solid quarterback position by any stretch of the imagination. Rudolph is considered a solid tight end who might have benefited from the switch to Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback.
Fantasy Impact: Whatever the case, Rudolph is out for a sizable amount of time. The Vikings list Rhett Ellison as Rudolph's backup, and while he should see some targets, he's not really much of a fantasy option. He's a weak handcuff, and fantasy owners would likely be best-served looking elsewhere. MarQueis Gray should benefit from Rudolph's absence, but he offers little to no fantasy value as well.
