Kirk Cousins (QB, MIN) - 2020 Fantasy Football Draft Sleeper

4 years ago by Antonio Losada

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TESTING NEW WIDGET hide

BALLER MOVE: Target Around ~145 Overall

CURRENT ADP: ~164

ANALYSIS: You can criticize Kirk Cousins all you want, but the truth is that the current Vikings' starter has finished as a top-15 quarterback in five consecutive seasons, which means every year he's started more than five games. His lowest finish (during the 2019 season) was directly correlated to the low-volume passing of Minny's offense (he tossed a career-low 444 passes) so he could only reach 3,603 yards, 26 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 15 games.

Even with those numbers and "restrictions" to his passing game, Cousins was good enough for a finish as QB15 while getting drafted as the QB18 prior to the season, returning positive value to his owners. The Vikings have suffered two significant losses on the offensive side of the ball: the trade of Stefon Diggs and the departure of offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski. However, there are several reasons for optimism heading into the 2020 season for Cousins.

Long-time NFL play-caller Gary Kubiak will take over for Stefanski in 2020, which means a similar offensive game plan (zone running scheme with play-action passes). Despite the exit of Diggs, Minnesota returns four of their top-five receivers by target share in the form of Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Kyle Rudolph, and Irv Smith Jr. The team also added rookie Justin Jefferson out of LSU in the first round of the NFL draft.

With heavy losses in free agency on the defensive side of the ball (seven defensive role players, including seven in the secondary), the Vikings may find themselves in more shootouts as they look to break in numerous new contributors. Cousins is getting drafted outside of the first 13 rounds these days, with an ADP of QB21. Don't believe that number. PFF projects cousins to 266.7 fantasy points in 2020, which would rank Cousins as the QB15 at the end of the year. If those numbers hold--or improve, which is probably given the "tamed" nature of projections, you might be drafting a player with upside to finish the year inside the QB1 realm at a last-round price. Bargain of a deal.