What We Saw: Week 13

The QB List staff catches you up on everything you missed during Week 13 of the 2020 NFL season.

Ben Brown
What We Saw 3 Years Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Saints @ Falcons
Raiders @ Jets
Lions @ Bears
Bengals @ Dolphins
Browns @ Titans
Colts @ Texans
Jaguars @ Vikings
Giants @ Seahawks
Rams @ Cardinals
Patriots @ Chargers
Eagles @ Packers
Broncos @ Chiefs

Jaguars @ Vikings

 

The playoff-chasing Minnesota Vikings escaped with an overtime win against a spirited Jacksonville Jaguars squad, who dropped a 16-6 lead in the 3rd quarter and trailed 24-16 with less than 4 minutes to play in the final quarter. James Robinson punched the ball in from a yard out to tie the game at 24 and the Vikings’ Dan Bailey missed a field goal inside the 33-yard line to send the game into extra time. Standout safety Harrison Smith picked off Mike Glennon in Jaguars territory, setting up Bailey to redeem himself and keep the Vikings in the hunt for a Wild Card spot in the NFC with a 27-24 win.

In truth, it was a game of little quality, as both quarterbacks struggled with consistency. Some ugly football was complemented by a number of miscues and turnovers on both sides of the ball. The Vikings are now 6-6 and have won 5 of their last 6 games, catapulting them into the final playoff spot for now.

 

Jacksonville Jaguars

 

Quarterback

 

Mike Glennon: 28/42, 280 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1 fumble lost, 2 sacks | 3 carries, 9 yards

 

It really is hard to watch Mike Glennon (14.10 fantasy points) play football, even when he is actually half decent for a time. That was the case in the 1st half, as Glennon managed to navigate the Jags into a winning position at the break. Some luck was needed, however, and an errant throw from Glennon (that should have been intercepted by Kris Boyd) was remarkably deflected into the arms of rookie Laviska Shenault Jr. for an unlikely score.

 

 

That was as good as it got for Glennon. His 1st interception was a lazy, inaccurate throw that invited rookie cornerback Cameron Dantzler to come up and nick it away. This kind of play is why Glennon has been shipped off around the league.

 

 

Why we are watching Glennon instead of Gardner Minshew is beyond me, but for those that started him, I surmise it was out of pure desperation. At least he put up a serviceable fantasy score. Next up is a strong Tennessee secondary.

 

Running Backs

 

James Robinson: 18 carries, 78 yards, 1 TD | 6 targets, 6 receptions, 30 yards

Dare Ogunbowale: 2 carries, 7 yards | 2 targets

 

The lone shining light in another lost season for Jacksonville has been the play of uncompromising, hardworking, easy-to-like undrafted rookie James Robinson (22.80 fantasy points). The unheralded back out of Illinois State has done everything that was asked of him and he has proved to be a complete steal. It is just a shame that the rest of this offense is a dumpster fire. He tied the game late in the 4th quarter today and completely deserved his score, his 5th TD in the last 6 games, for the hard yards he put in during this contest.

 

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

Collin Johnson: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 66 yards

Tyler Eifert: 6 targets, 6 receptions, 45 yards

James O’Shaughnessy: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 41 yards

D.J. Chark: 7 targets, 2 reception, 41 yards

Laviska Shenault Jr.: 3 targets, 3 reception, 38 yards, 1 TD | 2 carries, 30 yards

 

There are few receivers in the NFL who can shake off terrible quarterback play and be productive. Unfortunately, one of them doesn’t play for Jacksonville. Primary receiver D.J. Chark (6.10 fantasy points) saw 7 targets but at least 4 of them were completely uncatchable low and away on the sidelines. With a competent QB, Chark would have likely hit 100 yards and a score today. As it stands, however, he has just 20 catches on 39 targets in his past 5 games. Gone are the days when Chark would be a WR2 with upside.

 

 

We have already covered the fortune that befell rookie Laviska Shenault Jr. (15.80 fantasy points), whose touchdown today was his first since the opening game of the season. Without Minshew under center, Shenault has disappeared off the fantasy radar. Sad face. Unless Minshew returns, this Jaguars receiving corps is a tough sell. Quick shoutout to another rookie, Collin Johnson (12.60 fantasy points), who made a couple of nice contested grabs today. Watch this space for 2021!

 

 

Minnesota Vikings

 

Quarterback

 

Kirk Cousins: 28/43, 305 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 1 fumble lost, 4 sacks | 3 carries, 12 yards

 

After a miserable 1st quarter in which the Vikings only mustered 20 total yards, Kirk Cousins (22.40 fantasy points) finally found his groove and registered his 3rd straight 20+ fantasy points game. He threw 3 passing touchdowns, including one each to both primary receivers, Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. Cousins looked less comfortable this week and the Vikings’ offensive line gave up more pressures than usual. Still, as he has done over the past 2 months of the season, he found a way to win.

 

 

The 2 turnovers were poor indiscretions – an aborted handoff in the redzone and a nasty looking pick-6. Both were due to complete communication failures with lead back Dalvin Cook. The interception on the first play of the 2nd half could have been ultimately costly against a better team. Cousins looked to set up the screen pass straight down the middle of the field but Cook failed to turn and look for the ball.

 

 

Cousins now has 3 consecutive 300-yards and 3 TDs games and is a valuable fantasy quarterback for your playoffs. Despite the turnovers today, Cousins has a high QB2 status for next week.

 

Running Backs

 

Dalvin Cook: 32 carries, 120 yards | 9 targets, 6 receptions, 59 yards

Ameer Abdullah: 2 carries, 11 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 18 yards

C.J. Ham: 1 target, 1 reception, 12 yards, 1 TD

 

For the second straight week, Dalvin Cook (23.90 fantasy points) racked up the yards but failed to hit paydirt for the Vikings. Not that he didn’t have the opportunities. As mentioned above, Cousins muffed a handoff to him at the 2-yard line, resulting in a turnover. Cook was also stuffed on 2 carries inside the 5-yard line. Luckily, he saw the most targets in the passing game he has seen all season (9) and rewarded those who have him rostered with a nice PPR day.

 

 

Stone-faced comment here on C.J. Ham (8.20 fantasy points), who vultured a TD from Cook to get the Vikings back in the contest in the middle of the 3rd quarter. Hamm has a few of these every season, much to the dismay of Cook fans!

 

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

Justin Jefferson: 12 targets, 9 receptions, 121 yards, 1 TD

Adam Thielen: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD

Chad Beebe: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 10 yards

Tyler Conklin: 1 target, 1 reception, 10 yards

Kyle Rudolph: 2 targets

 

The Justin Jefferson (27.30 fantasy points) fantasy train keeps rolling in Minnesota – the former LSU star leads all rookie wideouts and showed off his elite abilities at the position again today against a Jacksonville secondary who were always a step behind. Even with the return of teammate Adam Thielen (21.50 fantasy points), Jefferson led the Vikings in targets, catches, and yards for the 2nd straight week.

 

 

Jefferson has become the 5th rookie in the Super Bowl era with 1,000+ receiving yards in their first 12 career games, and he is now an established WR1 in fantasy who will be sought after in redraft leagues next season. Speaking of WR1s, Thielen wasted no time in picking up where he left off after missing last week’s game due to COVID isolation.

 

 

Thielen seems to be immune from Jefferson’s breakout and, much like when Stefon Diggs was across for him, remains a top fantasy option at wide receiver. He scored his 12th TD of the season today, doubling his production from last season and now trailing just Tyreek Hill for the most in the league. Thielen has 5 scores in his last 3 appearances. There are 2 WR1s in Minnesota.

Even with Irv Smith Jr. missing due to injury, popular TE streamer Kyle Rudolph put up a dud on just 2 targets.

 

— Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)

Series Navigation
Introduction
Saints @ Falcons
Raiders @ Jets
Lions @ Bears
Bengals @ Dolphins
Browns @ Titans
Colts @ Texans
Jaguars @ Vikings
Giants @ Seahawks
Rams @ Cardinals
Patriots @ Chargers
Eagles @ Packers
Broncos @ Chiefs

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