The Minnesota Vikings are generally an underrated team, and rostered players need to play longer at a higher level to generate national buzz compared to players on the Dallas Cowboys or a New York team. But even on the Vikings roster, there are some hidden gems that most Vikings fans should pay more attention to.
The 5 Most Underrated Vikings Players
The following list includes a handful of players who deserve more respect. There is no specific order.
CJ Ham
The Vikings fullback doesn’t really deserve the fullback tag, a position whose value has been reduced to a minimum in recent years. Running backs are hardly worth anything these days, and the full-back position was hit even more severely. Many teams don’t even have a fullback on their roster in the day and age of 11 people (3 WR, 1 TE., 1 RB).
However, ham is different. When Kevin O’Connell came to the Vikings with his experience as a disciple of Sean McVay, it was assumed that Ham’s tenure would end sooner rather than later. No team has more than 11 people than the Rams. But Ham isn’t just still on the team, he’s also signed a contract extension with the franchise, so he’s an important part of future plans.
A big reason for this is the fact that Ham is more than fair a winger. Not a player who can only block for a running back. Ham can also catch the ball from the backfield, he is an excellent special teams player and is the team captain, which shows how important he is to the locker room. He deserves more respect as a complete player.
harrison phillips
The defensive tackle joined the Vikes in free agency last year and played alongside Dalvin Tomlinson for one season. After Tomlinson’s departure, someone has to replace the best player on the defensive line, and that man will be Phillips. The former Buffalo Bill is a veteran with leadership qualities and has been a decent player throughout his career.
However, as a run-filled defensive tackle who generated just three sacks in five seasons, he is the quintessential unsung hero of any defensive unit. A player who does dirty work for little credit. He had a career-high 1.5 sacks in 2022 and will be crucial to the defensive overhaul under defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
kj osborn
He was a member of the same draft class as Justin Jefferson, so there wasn’t much publicity for him. Osborn did not excel in his kick return role in his debut season and made no impact on offense.
A rising star of camp in 2021, Osborn surprisingly claimed the long-vacated WR3 spot behind Jefferson and Adam Thielen and never returned it. 655 and 650 yards in the past two seasons show he’s good at working in that specific role.
Regardless, Vikings fans don’t think he’s a secondary option and favor Jordan Addison. The underrated receiver can prove them wrong by beating Addison for the WR2 job in training camp and then performing well next season.
Josh Metellus
Another underrated special teams ace. The safety has contributed fabulously to the coverage unit and even earned the captain’s badge in the absence of Brian O’Neill last season. Kris Boyd was the one who received praise for his unit play, but Metellus was the most impactful special teams contributor.
His role in defense cannot be overstated either. He filled in for the injured Harrison Smith in three games last season and played well in all of them. Flores’ affinity for versatile players could be an opportunity for more playing time next season as he can line up all over the field. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah honored him as the team’s unsung hero.
joseph oliver
The tight end’s free agency signing is seen as a run-blocking specialist, but that’s far from the truth. While he is certainly one of the elite run-blocking tight ends in football, he is also a fantastic athlete combining size and speed. Many will be surprised by his receiving skills that weren’t fully unleashed in Baltimore.
Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips recently praised the new player’s skills. There’s a reason the Vikes gave him a big contract. He’s not just a blocker. He expects a lot of sets with two tight ends on the field, as coaches love his qualities.
Janik Eckardt is a soccer fan who likes numbers and statistics. The Vikings became his favorite team despite his quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves to watch comedies, and classic rock is his favorite musical genre. Follow him on Twitter if you like Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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