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The Minnesota Vikings’ Super Bowl odds have climbed from +8000 three weeks ago to +2000 currently.
3 Unforeseen Bright Spots on Vikings Roster
That’s the perk of a 3-0 start inside a season where NFL experts expected the purple team to win just six or seven games.
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Along the way, these are the three unforeseen bright spots that have emerged on the roster, ranked in ascending order of importance (No. 1=most surprising).
3. Harrison Smith as Elite
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Smith is considered the NFL’s sixth-best safety at the moment, according to Pro Football Focus. For a few games, he has turned back the clock to 2017 after Vikings fans had all but concluded that “Smith is still good, but he’s getting up there.”
The 35-year-old doesn’t look “up there” at all per age, and by every credible defensive statistic, Smith has decided to play at an elite level in 2024, his 13th NFL season. The Hitman is playing so well — and Minnesota’s season is unblemished — folks should start hoping he returns next year, a hypothesis that might’ve sounded foolish a month ago.
2. Jalen Nailor as Legitimate WR2 and WR3
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Nailor has nabbed a touchdown reception in each game this season, moved the sticks on crucial third downs, and helped spring Justin Jefferson for a 97-yard touchdown in Week 2.
The guy does it all, and not long ago, some believed he wouldn’t make the active roster in 2024. Well, those theories were wrong. Nailor is nibbling at WR2 status in the brand of Vikings offense, and he deserves his flowers.
The injury bug was the only knock on Nailor during his first two seasons. For now, that has stabilized, and his talents are standing off the page amid Minnesota’s undefeated start.
1. Blake Brandel as one of the NFL’s Best Guards
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PFF says Brandel is the NFL’s 11th-best guard — and we believe it.
At the beginning of the offseason, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips wasn’t shy about naming Brandel as a starter after he inked a three-year, $9.5 million deal. The announcement confused some folks because Dalton Risner’s future was up in the air.
Yet, when the 2024 regular season arrived, Brandel proved why Phillips was so high on his upside, and badda bing — Brandel is a Top 12 guard in the league.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
