RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues
ROSTERED: 5% of Leagues
ANALYSIS: Who would've ever thought that a time would come when Kyle Rudolph is no longer suiting up for the Minnesota Vikings? Even with all of the talent that Kirk Cousins can choose from on each play, they've still provided themselves with TE options on offense and, as if he remembers where he left off on that note back in 2020, he has picked right back up where he left off with his deliveries to 26-year-old, 6'4, 255-lb. Tyler Conklin.
In their Week One matchup against the Bengals, Conklin ranked fifth on the offense in targets (four), catches (four), and receiving yards (41), all behind Adam Thielen, K.J. Osborn, Justin Jefferson, and Dalvin Cook in that order. This is a situation where we must acknowledge: say what you will about Kirk Cousins as a QB, but sharing the love of offensive involvement with handfuls of teammates in the same game is something he is easily capable of, as that is the role he has chosen to fully embrace. He likes to get the TE involved too, so it's less of a major concern that Conklin is competing with guys like Thielen, Jefferson, and Cook for looks. This solid Week One showing is mildly encouraging enough on its own, but it really sets in once we look a little deeper.
The former Central Michigan standout has been with the Vikings since 2018, and up until the end of last season had only a few sparse outings worth mentioning. Then, as Minnesota played their final four regular season games of 2020, Conklin entered a zone that he has yet to step out of, catching 15 passes of 21 targets for 168 yards and his first (and only) NFL touchdown over that four-game span. He exited the 2020 campaign with a bang and bust into 2021 ready to make noise again with the quarterback who stayed feeding his teammates all the way to the bitter 7-9 end.
Other than the Minnesota receivers and backs, he could face some TE competition from backup Chris Herndon, but the Vikings aren't the type to keep two tight ends well fed on the same field even dating back to Kyle Rudolph's tenure, and so with the momentum he has somehow managed to sustain, an usurpation by Herndon remains a distant concern for the time being. He's not going to blow you away with his freakish athletic ability, and he might not be as sexy of a TE pickup as the likes of Cole Kmet or Jared Cook, but much like Kyle Rudolph, you'll have a very good idea of what you're paying for with Tyler Conklin, and it gets the job done.
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