If this is true, perhaps a bit more value needs to be placed on the Viking receivers and Kirk Cousins.
Obviously, Justin Jefferson is easily a WR1, even before a change to a pass-first offense.
The next obvious beneficiary might be Adam Thielen, although I’m not sold he hasn’t hit the age cliff. Approach with caution.
Third, K.J. Osborn is the one I like the most after JJ. He had 7 td’s on 82 targets (50 catches) last season.
Irv Smith is another beneficiary of passing first. With 5 td’s on 43 targets in only 13 games, he stands to at least enter the top 12 TE conversation.
Dalvin Cook also had an injury shortened season last year (13 games). But don’t ignore him in the passing game, especially in PPR leagues. He had 34 catches last year, and a career high 53 in 2019. He will feast in this offense as well.
Don’t underestimate Kirk Cousins, who had over 30 td’s in 3 of the last 4 seasons. He even threw for 4917 yards back in 2016, so big numbers aren’t impossible. He could be a draft day steal under these circumstances.
At that time, he was still prominently absent from many a dynasty ranking, despite putting up an average 11.75 half-PPR points per game.
Granted, Thielen was injured during that time. But at soon 32, he’s expected to get injured again, and/or see his volume drop.
At least, analysts started acknowledging the existence of KJ Osborn. But at ADP WR83, he’s still brutally underrated. He finished 2021 as WR39, and I wouldn’t expect any less for 2022. He’s a great flex asset with WR2 upside, in case Thielen misses more time. That is insane value for a guy who’s currently projected to drop to the 19th round (!) in redraft leagues.
I have Osborn in every dynasty league, and should I play any redraft leagues this year, I’ll probably draft him in every single one of them as well.