Can Kyle Rudolph Lead Your Team to Holiday Cheer?

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ANALYSIS: Kyle Rudolph put up the highest total for a tight end in Week 11 and followed that up with a disappointing game on Sunday (on the surface). He actually had more targets in Week 12’s effort than he did in Week 11’s great game. He had only registered eight targets in the Vikings' three game stretch in Weeks 8-10, but had nine targets last week and ten targets on Sunday. He caught seven balls for 53 yards. Perhaps there is something sustainable here. Rudolph has been more name than production for all of 2015, and while this game more like the Rudolph that was worth rostering from years past, it seems suspicious to entertain the notion that Rudolph will be particularly useful down the stretch. No receiving option seems to be able to put up consistent targets and numbers for the Vikings, as even Stefon Diggs has receded a bit, and we all know how horrible Mike Wallace's year has been (don't get me started on Charles Johnson).

The offense goes through Adrian Peterson first and foremost (as we were all reminded of on Sunday), and Teddy Bridgewater just isn't asked to do as much. It's worth throwing a buck or two at if you're desperate for a tight end and want to see if this momentum pushes Rudolph forward for a bigger role in the offense for a nice fantasy football stretch run, but the chances are low here. Do note that the Vikings face Seattle next, who are rather susceptible to tight ends and obviously play the run well. Diggs probably won't have a great time against Richard Sherman either. This may force Minnesota to look Kyle’s way, even if they’d prefer Teddy not throw it that much against a swarming Seattle defense.