3 years agoAfter starting the season with three straight excellent performances, quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings offense have now struggled the last two weeks against the Browns and Lions. Cousins put up respectable numbers against Detroit, completing 73.5% of his passes for 275 yards and a passer rating of 94.6, but managed only one offensive touchdown against the 25th-ranked defense in the league. Facing Carolina this week, Cousins will be going against statistically one of the best defenses in football. The Panthers rank 13th in fantasy points against quarterbacks. But this early in the season, you have to look at the schedule to put those numbers in context. Playing against the likes of Zach Wilson, Davis Mills and the scary version of Jameis Winston, the Carolina defense unsurprisingly looked like a top-tier unit. Jalen Hurts did most of his damage against them with his legs, rushing for two touchdowns. Dak Prescott only threw for 188 yards but still managed four touchdown passes. Dallas was able to run the ball easily, amassing 245 yards on 34 carries, something the Vikings would love to do as well. With the Panthers only favored by 1.5 and the way they struggled against the only legitimate running game they've faced this season, don't expect a high-volume passing day from Cousins. Head coach Mike Zimmer will likely lean on the run game heavily once again. Consider Cousins a high-end QB2 this week without much upside.--Aaron Knight
Source: ESPN Fantasy