National Football League

Fantasy Football Start or Sit Week 3: Jerick McKinnon

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Heading into Week 3 Fantasy Football action, running back Jerick McKinnon is entering a favorable matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

With the unfortunate news that hit running back Adrian Peterson due to his severe knee injury, the Minnesota Vikings continue to move forward and continue in the task at hand. The Vikings got a big victory over the Green Bay Packers last week. What happens now when it comes to fantasy football owners that need a replacement for Peterson?

Sure, their 17-14 victory wasn’t pretty, but good teams always find a way to win even through adversity. Peterson will be out for about four months as there is no guarantee he’ll even be the same player upon return.

Fantasy owners should use his backup, running back Jerick McKinnon, as a suitable replacement this week. While he’s not an RB1 at this point in time, McKinnon could seize the day as a FLEX option.

It’s no secret that he has the skill-set to keep those chains moving. The Vikings will more than likely transition into a pass-oriented offensive playbook since quarterback Sam Bradford has shown a ton of potential and had flashes of brilliance last week.

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Against a tough defense in the Carolina Panthers this week, the Vikings have a good shot at winning if McKinnon plays as good as he can. As a speedy runner able to run past incoming defenders, McKinnon should be able to not miss a beat in this matchup.

Fantasy owners should take the risk in putting him into their starting lineup since he’ll make most of his damage racking up big yards and scoring via goal-line situations. Even though running back Matt Asiata is also going to see some playing time, McKinnon has much more upside in being a difference-maker. Moreover, it’s not hard to imagine Minnesota wanting to protect Sam Bradford with quick passes. Given that, McKinnon is by far the more dangerous pass-catcher for the Vikings without Peterson.

Overall, McKinnon will prove to be a pleasant surprise when all is said and done this week. Fantasy owners can be confident to give him the start as this will be his moment to deliver at a time when the Vikings need.

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