Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Football Standings

After a disappointing loss in the opener in New Orleans, the Vikings return to Minnesota for their home opener against the Dolphins. The team came out of the opener with far more questions than answers on offense, which makes gauging the offensive stars’ fantasy potential this week a little tougher.



Brett Favre

Favre was unquestionably rusty in Week 1, completing just 15-of-27 pass attempts for 171 yards and 1 TD against a Saints defense that surprisingly didn’t blitz him like they had in the NFC Championship Game. It’ll be interesting to see how the Dolphins – another team that features a 3-4 defensive alignment – approaches things in Week 2. Miami fielded the 3rd worst defense in the NFL last year in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing QBs, although that’s in part because they surrendered a league-high 5 QB rushing TDs. But they managed to hold only 4 opposing QBs under 225 passing yards and allowed 10 passing TDs in their final 5 games of last year. They held Trent Edwards to 139 yards and 1 TD a week ago, but you and 10 of your friends could probably do the same, so I’m not putting much stock in that. Dolphins rookie DE Jared Odrick won’t play because of a leg injury, and as long as the Vikings can contain ILB Karlos Dansby, Favre should have plenty of time to pick apart a very vulnerable secondary. Favre recorded 288 passing yards per game and an absurd 21-2 TD-INT ratio in regular season home games last year, so I like his chances in this one.

Adrian Peterson

Peterson ran hard and gained 4.6 yards per carry before the offense bogged down in last week’s 2nd half, and you can bet he’ll get more than just 19 attempts this week against the Fish. Miami trotted out a mediocre run defense that yielded 11 RB rushing scores and just under 100 rushing yards per game last year. They added a star at LB in Dansby, but their other starting ILB, Channing Crowder, has a mysterious groin injury that could end his season, and they’ll miss Odrick up front, where they feature 3 new starting lineman who all lack experience. The Vikings offensive line should have a clear advantage in the battle of the trenches. In a matchup of Peterson vs. anything described as “mediocre,” you have to give a huge advantage to Peterson. With closer to 30 carries in Week 2, AP should wind up with a stat line more like what you’d expect from your #1 or #2 overall fantasy pick.

Percy Harvin

Perhaps because he, too, missed a significant portion of training camp, Harvin looked out of whack in the opener. Playing more on the outside, as opposed to strictly in the slot, Harvin struggled to form a connection with Favre, and the two misfired on several plays that could have gone for big yardage. Unoffically, Harvin was targeted on 5 different occasions and only caught 1 of them. With another week of practice under their belts, I fully expect to see Harvin emerge as Favre’s go-to WR in Week 2. Only 5 teams allowed more than the 18 WR TDs surrendered by the Dolphins secondary in 2009, and they did nothing to upgrade the unit during the offseason (outside of acquiring nickel CB Benny Sapp from the Vikings). Look for a nice bounceback from Harvin this week, who remains an excellent fantasy WR2 option.

Bernard Berrian

Berrian didn’t exactly step up in the absence of Sidney Rice in Week 1, but I’m willing to give him the same benefit of the doubt as Favre and Harvin. It was probably unfair to ask Berrian to completely replace everything Rice did for this team in 2009 anyways, as the two players have completely different skillsets. Berrian’s at his best when stretching the defense deep downfield, and assuming the Dolphins don’t throw an aggressive blitz package at Favre this week, he should have time to do just that in Week 2. Don’t overlook the fact that the Saints also employ two of the best cover CB in the business – something the ‘Fins certainly can’t boast in Vontae Davis and Jason Allen. Berrian has unquestionably plummeted back to Earth from a fantasy perspective, but owners who stick by him as a flex option this week could be rewarded with a long TD in a bounceback effort.

Greg Camarillo

Camarillo barely saw the field in Week 1 and has admitted he’s still getting acclimated to his new offense. He’ll have a little extra motivation this week against his former teammates, but everything depends on how fast he can pick up the offense. In limited duty last week, Camarillo looked like he’ll eventually be an asset to this passing game, but it’s still too soon to considering using him in your fantasy lineup.

Visanthe Shiancoe

Outside of Peterson running wild in the 1st half last week, Shiancoe was the only other bright spot during the loss to the Saints. With 4 catches for 76 yards and the lone Vikings TD, Shiancoe was the only thing going for the sputtering passing offense… until he was shut down by Saints safety Roman Harper in the 2nd half. You can fully expect the Dolphins to key on stopping Shiancoe, but as long as Harvin and Berrian are contributing, I’m not confident a defense that allowed 3 different 100-yard games to opposing TEs a year ago can actually accomplish the task. Miami’s starting FS is a raw 2009 5th round draft pick, and SS Yeremiah Bell is better as a run-stopper than he is in coverage. Shiancoe is easily Favre’s most dependable target right now, and he looks like a top-5 fantasy TE for the remainder of the season.

Ryan Longwell

The Dolphins “led” the league in both field goals made against them last year and allowed the 2nd most points to opposing kickers. Longwell should be in your lineup, no questions asked.

Vikings Defense

The addition of Brandon Marshall didn’t make a significant impact for the Dolphins last week, who dinked and dunked their way to just 182 passing yards against the Bills. Miami’s strength is in the running game with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, but the Vikings are among the stingiest run defenses in the NFL – particularly at home. Marshall has a clear advantage in size over the Vikings CBs, but a little pressure on Chad Henne should negate most of that advantage. Henne isn’t asked to air it out on a regular basis, so it seems unlikely that Miami will be able to put up a lot of points in this one. The Dolphins do feature one of the best offensive lines in the game, but they allowed roughly 2 sacks per game and served up 19 interceptions in 2009, so there’s potential for plenty of defensive fantasy points here.

Frazier’s Focus: Stopping The Run

Frazier Looking To Neutralize The Run Sunday Vs Dolphins

Throughout his 5-year NFL career, WR Brandon Marshall has developed into an elite WR capable of changing games and deserving of special attention from opposing defenses. His ability to dominate the competition manifests itself in his imposing size (6-4, 230 pound) and far above-average speed.



The Miami Dolphins, perceived as a run-happy offense, stepped out of the box a bit this past offseason to acquire Marshall in a move designed to bolster the aerial attack, which is led by 2nd-year starter Chad Henne. But there’s a funny thing about the Dolphins acquisition of Marshall; it might actually aide Miami’s run game as much as it improves the passing attack.



“Yeah, he will probably open up the run game even more,” Vikings assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said on Thursday. “It’s hard to play a lot of single coverage now with Brandon Marshall out there. He is a prolific receiver, well accomplished and he’s been to some Pro Bowls so you have to pay attention to him. It will be a challenge for our corners and we’ll have to rise to the occasion. He’s an outstanding receiver and he’ll probably help their run game.



Injuries to Chris Cook and Cedric Griffin along with a trade that sent Benny Sapp to Miami have left the Vikings a bit thin at CB in the early part of the 2010 season. But the Vikings secondary, including 2nd-year CB Asher Allen and 9-year veteran Lito Sheppard, stepped up to play well against the New Orleans Saints pass-happy attack last weekend. Based on the fact that Frazier’s defense held Drew Brees and Co. in check fairly well, it’s reasonable to think Allen, Sheppard and Winfield can do the same to Miami’s air attack.



With all of that said, Sunday’s contest between the Vikings and Dolphins will still come down to the ground game. Even with Marshall in the fold, Miami will try to establish the run first, through both traditional methods and also via the Wildcat offense. Regardless of what formation the Dolphins use to run the ball, they will employ a tandem of talented RBs to try and get the job done – Ronnie Brown and Rickey Williams.



“They are very good backs,” Frazier acknowledged. “Their offensive line does a very good job as well and they present a lot of problems for defensives the way they can run the ball. It will be a big challenge for our run defense. We will have to stand tall in this ball game in order for our team to be successful.”



The Saints ability to pick up key yardage on the ground last week led to their season-opening victory over the Vikings. It was a rather uncharacteristic development for Frazier’s run defense – giving up yardage late in the game and allowing the opposing team to run out the clock. With the New Orleans game serving as a reminder of how important it is for the Vikings defense to remain stout against the run, Frazier and his guys are looking forward to the challenge that Miami will bring on Sunday.



“We’ve played one game and this game will be a good barometer for us,” Frazier explained. “We need to play well in this ball game against the run, without question. It will tell a lot about our run defense going forward but it’s one game at a time and we need to play [well] from a run defensive standpoint this weekend.”

Vincent Jackson Possibility Accruing

Vincent Jackson Possibility Accruing

Vincent Jackson in purple makes sense. The Vikings only have 4 receivers on their active roster, their star receiver, Sidney Rice, is out for the foreseeable future with a hip injury, and Percy Harvin showed up on this week’s injury report. It appears that Minnesota’s ailing wide receiver corps could use an upgrade.Having said that, it sounds like Vincent Jackson’s future in Minnesota hinges on an arbitrator’s interpretation of the “roster-exempt” designation the San Diego Charger’s placed on the sixth-year wideout.
Vincent Jackson will miss the first three games of the season due to violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The Chargers also punished Jackson for missing the team’s entire offseason by placing him on the “roster-exempt” list. With that designation comes an additional 3 game suspension. However, in a 9:00 a.m. hearing today, the NFL’s player’s union is expected to argue that should Vincent Jackson be traded, that additional three game suspension should not be enforced because Jackson would no longer be a member of the team that handed it down.

  
   Should an arbitrator be swayed by the NFLPA’s case for Jackson, it’s looking more and more likely Jackson will be catching passes from someone other than Charger’s quarterback Phillip Rivers.
One possible trade partner would be the Minnesota Vikings. Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune does a nice job of breaking down the likelihood of a trade between the two teams, but writes that it may be difficult to decide on the proper compensation for the 6-foot-5 receiver.
Lee Hamilton of XX Sports Radio in San Diego reported that if the suspension is reduced to three games, the Vikings are prepared to make a trade offer. Rumors have been swirling in Minnesota as well, but both teams as well as Jackson’s agent have been quiet on the matter.
The arbitrator has 5 days to rule on the case, but it’s possible Jackson’s fate will be decided by the weekend. Whether or not Vincent Jackson is catching Brett Favre’s passes remains to be seen.

Dolphins Secondary Braces For Brett Favre

Dolphins Secondary Braces For Favre

   At one time, Brett Favre throwing against Vontae Davis would have been a laughable mismatch.
``I was probably a baby in diapers when he was first in the league,'' Davis said.
It's true: Davis was 3 when Favre made his NFL debut in 1991. Now, Davis is a second-year cornerback for the Miami Dolphins and part of a revamped secondary bracing to face Favre and the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The pass defense was solid in a season-opening 15-10 win at Buffalo. Miami allowed only 116 yards through the air and had three sacks.
But that was against Trent Edwards, who has 25 career touchdown passes. Favre has an NFL record 498.
Favre also has started 286 games, compared with 70 for Miami's four starting defensive backs combined.
``It's a test for us,'' Davis said. ``We get to see where we're at when we go against Brett Favre.''
Where they're at is in transition. Davis and veteran strong safety Yeremiah Bell are holdover starters, but free safety Chris Clemons and cornerback Jason Allen won jobs in training camp, and Benny Sapp is the new nickel back after being acquired last month in a trade with the Vikings.
The secondary needed a shake-up after allowing 14 touchdown passes of 20 yards or more last year, second-most in the NFL. Early returns on the changes are favorable, with Miami 1-0 for the first time since 2005.
Minnesota is 0-1, and Favre is eager to get the offense in gear after throwing for only 171 yards in a 14-9 loss at New Orleans. After wavering on retirement, he joined the Vikings only four weeks ago, and rust showed.
``There's no doubt we have to get on the same page,'' Favre said, ``and we have to do it in a hurry.''
While cohesion might yet surface as an issue in the Dolphins' secondary, they had only one glaring defensive lapse at Buffalo - a blown assignment on fourth and 11 that resulted in a 31-yard scoring pass. Otherwise the Dolphins smothered the Bills' receivers.
``We played great as a whole,'' Clemons said. ``Everybody was getting to the ball.''
Open-field tackling was much improved over a year ago, and the Dolphins broke up seven passes. When Allen dropped a potential interception with only the end zone in front of him, he returned to the huddle grinning.
``That's all he could do, was laugh,'' Davis said. ``We joked around. We were having fun.''
Allen, a first-round pick in 2006, took a big step in shedding his label as a draft bust. He helped hold the Bills' Lee Evans to 34 receiving yards, playing so well that Sean Smith, who started all 16 games as a rookie in 2009, never got on the field.
``I probably should have played Sean,'' coach Tony Sparano said. ``The way it was going, we just didn't feel like it would be a good idea to mess around with that.''
Clemons, a fifth-round draft pick in 2009, was all over the field. He made one eye-popping tackle, blitzing from the left side and racing to the other sideline to chase down C.J. Spiller for a 1-yard loss.
``As good a play as I've seen,'' Sparano said.
``Chris was flying everywhere,'' Davis said. ``There were times I didn't even know where he came from.''
The front seven applied effective pressure, although the Dolphins did allow Edwards to scramble to the outside several times. That's a no-no against Favre.
``Those things, when you play against a guy like this, they'll kill you,'' Sparano said. ``He can take those plays and turn them into touchdowns, and everybody has seen him do it time and time again.''
Otherwise, the biggest knock on the Dolphins' defense is that the unit came up with no turnovers in the opener. That was a problem last year, when Miami's 21 takeaways were the fifth-fewest in the league.
Favre threw only seven interceptions in 531 passes last season, and it will be tough to wrest the ball from him. Still, the Dolphins' DBs look forward to the challenge.
``Him being 40 years old - that's like me playing against my father,'' Davis said. ``I would never have thought when I was watching Brett Favre at Green Bay that I would be lining up across from him. That's like a dream.
``It's also a dream to grab an interception from him.''

Sidney Rice's Hip Is Improving, But When We Returns To The Vikings Is Still Uncertain

Sidney Rice's hip is improving, but when he returns to the Vikings is still uncertain

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Sidney Rice Will Miss The First 6 Games Of The Season

While Childress was offensive coordinator there.
Asked about his comfort level with receivers Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, Greg Camarillo and Greg Lewis, Childress said he's "completely comfortable."
Injury update: Left tackle Bryant McKinnie says the dislocated finger he suffered against the Saints is fine and he will play this week. The gory photographs of his treatment that he posted on his Twitter account last weekend were not for the squeamish.
McKinnie was injured early in the fourth quarter against New Orleans. He said he would have been able to return, but the Vikings never got the ball back.
Baby steps: Though his knee is feeling "strong" after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in late January, cornerback Cedric Griffin says he's not rushing his return.
The Vikings considered playing Griffin against the Saints but ultimately placed him on the inactive list.
"This is something I'm doing for my career, more than just the first game or second game," Griffin said. "I'm looking out for my interests as well. We're taking our time."
Last year's starter said the process is day to day, and he believes he will play "whenever the coaches feel I'm good and whenever I go express my feelings (that I'm ready)."
Quote of note: "If you go to the ground, you have to come up with the football. Period." — Childress, on Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson's apparent touchdown catch with 24 seconds left at Chicago on Sunday that was ruled incomplete despite clear possession of the ball. Johnson left the ball on the ground as he popped up, giving the Bears a 19-14 victory.
Brian Murphy contributed to this report.

Toby Gerhart Minnesota vikings 3rd Down Back

A week after arthroscopic hip surgery, Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice has been placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.
This means Rice will miss the first six games of the season, after which the team will have three weeks to activate him for practices or place him on injured reserve. The latter would risk losing Rice for the entire year.
Coach Brad Childress said last week he expected at least eight weeks before realistic discussions of Rice's return.
Rice said on Twitter that he would return to the Vikings' Winter Park facility on Monday.
Rice's move to PUP came in light of the Vikings' efforts to trim the roster to 75 players for Tuesday's deadline.
The team waived tackle Bill Noethlich, receiver Marko Mitchell and linebacker J Leman. The Vikings have to cut to 53 players by Saturday.
Injury update: Running back Toby Gerhart, a second-round pick out of Stanford, returned to practice after missing Monday because of a knee injury.
Also missing in action were cornerback Chris Cook (knee), center John Sullivan (calf), defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, wide receiver Logan Payne, safety Jamarca Sanford and tight end Garrett Mills.
Percy Harvin strolled into practice a couple of minutes late. At this point, his everyday attendance is a victory for the Vikings after he missed most of the preseason with migraine headaches.
'Big game' for Webb: Rookie quarterback Joe Webb said he's confident in his place

Percy Harvin Confirms Sleep Apnea

Percy Harvin Minnesota Vikings WR

Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin confirmed to reporters Monday that he is being treated for sleep apnea, a condition that might have triggered his increasing frequency of migraine episodes this summer. Harvin said the diagnosis came when he was hospitalized after an Aug. 19 collapse during a Vikings practice.

Harvin (via Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press): "They'd just barge in the room and be like, 'Harvin, you OK?' I'd say, 'I think so.' [They said] 'Well, your heart just wasn't beating.' I was like, 'What do you want me to do?'"

Indeed, doctors determined his heart was stopping and then re-starting during the night, a common symptom of sleep apnea. He now sleeps with an oxygen device and said he feels a "100 percent difference" when he wakes up in the morning.

Whether this cures his migraines, slows them down or merely helps him sleep better, Harvin appears to be in a better place than he was a month ago.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Vikings owner Zygi Wilf's enthusiasm hasn't dampened following a Week 1 loss at New Orleans. According to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune, Wilf said: "We built a team that we expect to go all the way. We're not holding back right now. ... We pretty much feel that we're all in. We're going to try our best to fulfill our goal."
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com: "Sidney Rice expects to remain on crutches for a couple more weeks, and the Minnesota Vikings' top receiver said on Monday he hasn't set a target date for returning to practice following last month's hip surgery."
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel lists these veteran agent running backs as available if the Green Bay Packers look for outside help to replace Ryan Grant (ankle): Willie Parker, Ahman Green, Justin Fargas and J.J. Arrington.
• Because the Packers spent the entire game at Philadelphia in the nickel, A.J. Hawk did not receive a single defensive snap, notes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Inside linebackers coach Winston Moss: "If I was in that same situation, I would be upset if I didn't play and I was going into an opening game ... and I had a very good preseason. I would have wanted to play. I'm sure a highly competitive guy would have wanted to play. I would use it as -- if I have to do whatever it takes and do more to stay on the field as much as possible, I've got to do whatever it takes. That would be my attitude."
• The Packers plan to re-sign defensive lineman Jarius Wynn to replace the injured Justin Harrell (knee), confirms Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with former Chicago Bears cornerback Nate Vasher, notes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com. Vasher could replace injured nickelback Aaron Berry.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz called backup quarterback Shaun Hill "one of our biggest offseason acquisitions," writes John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford on his series of injuries in the NFL: "Pretty perfect hits. Guys dropped me on my shoulder pretty hard both times. I'd call them weird, freaky injuries more than anything." Michel Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is willing to gain yards on the ground, notes Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com questions the Bears' decision to match Lions receiver Calvin Johnson in single coverage on the play that nearly beat them Sunday.
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz made a number of concessions Sunday for his still-developing offensive line, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Devin Aromashodu started the 2010 season the way he ended the 2009 season: as the Bears' hottest receiver."

Vikings Work Out Receivers, Chris Cook Returns To Practice

Chris Cook

The Minnesota Vikings began the 2010 season with only 4 wide receivers. At this same time a year ago, the Vikings roster boasted 6 receivers and the receiving corps was a strength of the team. In an attempt to bolster their battered wide receiver group, the Vikings will work out a number of players this week. However, head coach Brad Childress was vague when explaining whether or not the team would sign a new player this week.
“It’s a thing that we do every week,” Childress said. “We usually bring people in to try to get a look at them. We’ve had numbers of people through here to look at, whether it’s the offensive line [or] whether it’s in the secondary.”
According to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the players visiting Winter Park for a workout include former Patriot Sam Aiken, former Eagle Reggie Brown, former Packer Ruvell Martin, and former Raven Demetrius Williams. None of these options is great as there is good reason they all have “former” listed before their names.
Speculation remains that the Vikings are interested in disgruntled Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson, but that option becomes more unlikely everyday. Jackson’s contractual demands and pending suspension make him less attractive to a team looking for an immediate impact. A third option would be bringing back Javon Walker who was cut by the team after the preseason.
On the other side of the ball, rookie cornerback Chris Cook returned to the practice field on Monday. After injuring his knee in the team’s 4th exhibition game, the 23-year-old out of the University of Virginia is still not 100%, but he was able to participate in individual drills. Childress was hopeful the rookie will be back on the field soon.
“He just went through some individual periods,” Childress said. “He doesn’t look completely comfortable. As always, it’ll be how he comes back in and treats and how he shows back up tomorrow.”

Time For The Vikings To Go Big At WR?

Vincent Jackson

   As rumors continue to swirl that the Vikings are in the market to trade for San Diego wide receiver Vincent Jackson, team officials spent the weekend setting up visits for four free agent receivers at Winter Park.
The Vikings plan to look at Sam Aiken (Patriots), Reggie Brown (Eagles), Ruvell Martin (Seahawks) and Demetrius Williams (Ravens) as early as Monday. The visits were first reported on Fox and ESPN's pregame shows Sunday and the door also appears to have been left open for veteran Javon Walker to return. Walker was let go in the Vikings' final roster cuts on Sept. 4 after he joined the team late in the preseason.
The flurry of activity came only two days after Vikings coach Brad Childress told reporters he was not thinking about adding to a wide receiver group that is only four deep and combined for four receptions in the Vikings' 14-9 season-opening loss Thursday night at New Orleans.
Quarterback Brett Favre attempted to take the blame for the fact that none of his wide receivers had more than one catch saying he wasn't sharp enough on some passes. But there was little doubt Favre missed the presence of the 6-4 Sidney Rice, who turned into the quarterback's favorite target last season as he had 83 catches for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns.
Rice is expected to miss at least half the season after having hip surgery. Bernard Berrian, who is 6-1, has big play ability but had only one catch for 3 yards against the Saints.
Jackson would be the most attractive of any available receiver because he would give Favre a Rice-like presence. The 6-5 Jackson had a career-high 68 receptions for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns last season. However, there are questions regarding his availability that will need to be cleared up before any team pursues him.

    Jackson, a restricted free agent, remains unsigned and has not reported to the Chargers because he isn't happy with his contract situation. Things get murky because Jackson has been suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. San Diego also placed him on the roster exempt list, meaning he could end up missing six games to start the year.
The NFL contends that Jackson should have to sit out the entire six games even if he is traded; the NFL Players Association says the six-year veteran shouldn't have to miss those final three games if he is with a new team.
    There have been multiple reports that an arbitrator will hear the case Thursday morning and if the ruling goes in Jackson's favor he could be moved quickly. If he is forced to sit out six games, his attractiveness to the Vikings decreases in a big way because Rice might return shortly thereafter.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in August that the Vikings had made a call to check on Jackson's availability but "immediately balked" at his demands. That would be the same $50 million, five-year contract, with $30 million in guarantees, that caused Seattle to stop talking to Jackson's reps after they received permission to do so.
      The Jackson-to-Minnesota rumors picked up again when reports circulated that his agents had a deal completed Sept. 4 with a team they would not identify. The Union-Tribune said this time the agreement was believed to be for one year and $7 million plus incentives but that it fell through because the unknown team could not come to an agreement with the Chargers.
If Jackson had signed and reported by the 5 p.m. deadline Sept. 4, he could have served his suspension and his time on the roster exempt list concurrently but the league no longer sees it that way. The Vikings, who probably will have Favre for only the remainder of this season and are trying to make another deep playoff run, became the likely candidate as the unnamed team when the Rams and Seahawks were eliminated as the potential suitors by the Union-Tribune.
   One of Jackson's agents, Jonathan Feinsod, and Vikings officials have both declined to comment on whether the team is interested. Even if Jackson doesn't end up with the Vikings, it appears the team could have a fifth receiver on its roster when it plays its home opener on Sunday against Miami.

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Vincent Jackson: Chances Increasing For Vikings To Acquire Pro-Bowler

Bernard Berrian Might Be Traded Away For Vincent Jackson

San Diego Chargers' Wide Receiver Vincent Jackson

For those that have not been following the Vincent Jackson suspension/trade talks, allow me to fill you in really quick.

Vincent Jackson of the San Diego Chargers is currently facing a three game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy, which was announced on July 1, 2010.   Last Saturday, an unnamed team reportedly made Jackson's agents a one-year deal to acquire the 2009 Pro-Bowler. The offer was rejected by the Chargers. San Diego's asking price was originally expected to be for a  first-rounder, maybe even more. But with nobody willing to give up that much, the Chargers were out of luck.

Since then, they have lowered their asking price to both a second and third round pick.

It's not been revealed how much Minnesota offered, but we just know that it wasn't enough for San Diego to let him go to the NFC.

On September 11, rumors resurfaced that the Vikings would be willing to offer more if Jackson's suspension is kept at only three games, rather than six, which he could face.

Vincent's best season occurred last year when he recorded 68 catches for 1,167 yards, and nine touchdowns in only 15 games.

Even though his reception numbers aren't great, Philip Rivers is a quarterback that loves to distribute the ball to all of his targets, which include Antonio Gates and Malcom Floyd.

With his 6'5", 230 pound frame, Jackson has the ideal size for a wide receiver. Despite not having the greatest speed, he is able to overpower the defenders that attempt to cover him.

It became abundantly clear that the Vikings are missing Sidney Rice after only scoring nine points on Thursday night's opener against the New Orleans Saints.

The fact that Brett Favre doesn't have a "big" receiver to throw to at the moment could be a cause for concern for Minnesota.

Although Sidney Rice is expected to be back after week eight, the Vikings could use Vincent Jackson for only one year.

If he fits in well with Minnesota, they could opt to sign him to an extension, but that doesn't seem very likely at this point in time.

As a Vikings fan, I am willing to admit that Minnesota's offense could be in trouble if Minnesota's main targets can't step up.

Bernard Berrian has seemed to struggle ever since Sidney became "the man" for Brett to throw to. Perhaps jealousy really does factor into football.

Only joking, people.

Don't get me wrong, I do not condone the multiple times Jackson has broken the law, but his talent on the field is something that will undoubtedly overshadow his troubled past.

It's been stated that Vincent will likely never play a down for San Diego again, so why not trade him away to a team that you will only face every few years or so?

Both the Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams were in the hunt for Jackson at one point, but talks between respective parties fizzled after they couldn't come up with the proper deal for San Diego to accept.

At this point, the Chargers should accept whatever they can get for him. Nonetheless, anything less than a fourth-rounder would be ludicrous for San Diego.

Minnesota's offense would reach the level of unstoppable with Jackson, Rice, Percy Harvin, Berrian, and Visanthe Shiancoe as weapons for Brett Favre to throw to.

However, I do believe Berrian could be included in the deal for Jackson.

San Diego's passing game will take a serious hit if they are unable to find a suitable replacement for Vincent. Legedu Naanee won't cut the cake, unfortunately.

Where we stand now, trade talks are somewhat at a minimum, but you never know what can happen in a matter of hours when it comes to the NFL.

With the false reports of T.J. Houshmandzadeh signing with the Vikings, and Brett Favre retiring for good, I'm not sure what to believe or not believe any more these days.

Until I hear it from Brad Childress, himself, I tend to ignore whatever rumors come about. With that said, I am hoping that this one is absolutely true.

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