There have been increasing signs that Vikings free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins is planning on taking his talents to Atlanta. This would obviously be a significant development for both franchises, in both NFL and fantasy terms.
Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings want to re-sign Cousins, but multiple sites have been reporting he's more likely headed to the Falcons. Atlanta, which has also been a rumored landing spot for Justin Fields should the Bears trade him, is ready to move on from what's been two years of lesser quarterbacking (Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, Taylor Heinicke) since saying goodbye to Matt Rayn.
Cousins is 35 and coming off a torn Achilles, but he's not a runner anyway, and the Falcons should have an above-average offensive line -- better than Minnesota's, I think. And he would definitely be an upgrade over what the Falcons have had at quarterback the past couple of years. And a huge boon to the team's pass catchers.
Cousins has been Minnesota's quarterback the last six years. Comparing how Minnesota's top receivers have fared in those years with how Atlanta's have fared the last two years...well, there's no comparison.
Table shows the top 40 receivers (wideouts and tight ends) in PPR formats from both teams in those years (Atlanta post-Ryan, Minnesota with Cousins). The Falcons don't have a wide receiver who ranked in the top 25 either year; Drake London (at 28th and 36th) is their only player at the position to make the table. Kyle Pitts finished 13th and 34th among tight ends those years, while Jonnu Smith ranked 17th at the position.
The other 19 players in the table are all Vikings: three different top-10 wideouts (and a fourth in the top 25), two different top-10 tight ends, and most of those guys with multiple such seasons.
Different offense, but the quick takeaway is it would sure be a nice boost for guys like London and Pitts.
| TOP 40 VIKINGS WITH COUSINS, FALCONS SINCE RYAN | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Rk |
| 2022 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 128 | 1809 | 9 | 1 |
| 2023 | T.J. Hockenson, Min. | 95 | 960 | 5 | 4 |
| 2021 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 108 | 1616 | 10 | 4 |
| 2020 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 88 | 1400 | 7 | 6 |
| 2018 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 64 | 634 | 4 | 7 |
| 2018 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 113 | 1373 | 9 | 7 |
| 2020 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 74 | 925 | 14 | 10 |
| 2018 | Stefon Diggs, Min. | 102 | 1021 | 9 | 10 |
| 2023 | Kyle Pitts, Atl. | 53 | 667 | 3 | 13 |
| 2019 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 39 | 367 | 6 | 14 |
| 2021 | Tyler Conklin, Min. | 61 | 593 | 3 | 16 |
| 2023 | Jonnu Smith, Atl. | 50 | 582 | 3 | 17 |
| 2019 | Stefon Diggs, Min. | 63 | 1130 | 6 | 21 |
| 2020 | Irv Smith, Min. | 30 | 365 | 5 | 23 |
| 2023 | Jordan Addison, Min. | 70 | 911 | 10 | 23 |
| 2022 | Drake London, Atl. | 72 | 866 | 4 | 28 |
| 2021 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 67 | 726 | 10 | 28 |
| 2022 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 70 | 716 | 6 | 31 |
| 2023 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 68 | 1074 | 5 | 32 |
| 2019 | Irv Smith, Min. | 36 | 311 | 2 | 33 |
| 2022 | Kyle Pitts, Atl. | 28 | 356 | 2 | 34 |
| 2023 | Drake London, Atl. | 69 | 905 | 2 | 36 |
| 2020 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 28 | 334 | 1 | 38 |
| 2021 | K.J. Osborn, Min. | 50 | 655 | 7 | 40 |
Minnesota's options if Cousins leaves don't look great. Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall all started multiple games for the team last year; Dobbs is a free agent (and not necessarily a guy the team wants to bring back regardless). Hall was a fifth-round pick who was knocked out of one start and benched at halftime of the other.
Mullens is the interesting incumbent, especially from a fantasy perspective. He seemed to take to O'Connell's offense, passing for 300-plus yards and multiple touchdowns in all three of his starts. No one need worry about Justin Jefferson and the team's other main pass catchers if Mullens is out there slinging it.
But Mullens also threw 8 interceptions, fumbled twice and took 11 sacks in those same three games (all losses). It can be debated whether the Vikings will see his flaws as worth accepting for the positive stuff he brings to the table. Potentially they could draft someone, or...
Russell Wilson, Minnesota Viking? Maybe O'Connell will kick the tires on another 35-year-old veteran passer if his current one leaves.
--Andy Richardson