Team leaders from the Minnesota Vikings 2016 NFL season

Which players led the Minnesota Vikings in categories like yards after catch, tackles, sacks, touchdowns, and more? Here are the team leaders from 2016.

While the Minnesota Vikings missed out on the playoffs with an 8-8 record during the 2016 NFL season, there were still plenty of great individual accomplishments the players should be very proud of.

Many of these players can get bonuses based on their performances or put themselves in line for a bigger role or bigger payday with great performances. Or, the numbers can lead to appearances in games like the Pro Bowl or honors in winning awards.

But the most important part of being a team leader is ensuring that there is potential for these players to continue to grow and develop with the team and continue to give the team and keep building toward a championship roster.

So, let’s take a look at the players who led the Minnesota Vikings in some of the most statistical categories (according to ESPN stats), starting with the man who held down the quarterback position for the team: Sam Bradford.

Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) throws during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Passing Leaders

Starting 15 of the Vikings 16 game during the 2016 season, Bradford was one of the most solid passers in the National Football League. Because of that, he dominates the list of passing leaders, since the closest competition is backup Shaun Hill, who started just one game.

Here’s a look at where Bradford led the team:

Passing Yards – Sam Bradford (3,877)

Even with not playing one game and not having a full preseason to prepare, Bradford was knocking on the door of 4,000 yards. He ended the season with 3,877 yards through the air (16th in the NFL), and there are hopes that number will be even higher during the 2017 season.

Passing Touchdowns – Sam Bradford (20)

Bradford threw 20 touchdowns this season. Although that number only puts him tied for 18th in the NFL, the fact that only 5 of his passes were intercepted gives him an impressive 4:1 TD to INT ratio.

Completion Percentage – Sam Bradford (71.6)

This is where Bradford really shined. Not only did he set Vikings franchise records for his efficiency, but he led the league and set a new record to land in the NFL history books. 71.6% is a very impressive number, but not a huge surprise considering he broke the Eagles completion percentage record the previous year.

Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon (21) celebrates his touchdown with running back Matt Asiata (44) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Rushing Leaders

One of the most disappointing parts of the Minnesota season was the run game. Not only was it bad, but it was at the bottom of the league throughout the season and teased with being one of the worst of all time.

Still there were some players who topped the team in some statistical categories, so here are the best of the Vikings rushers:

Rushing Yards – Jerick McKinnon (539)

It took McKinnon 159 carries to hit this mark, but he was still the team’s leading rusher. Sadly, that mark is 32nd in the NFL and reminds fans of just how little yardage was gained on the ground during the season.

Rushing Touchdowns – Matt Asiata (6)

There is no debating that Asiata is the king of the goal line in Minnesota. Even if he struggled to punch the ball in at times, he still found the end zone 6 times, which was tied for 19th in the NFL. The team as a whole only ran the ball in 9 times, one by tight end Rhett Ellison and the other two by McKinnon.

Yards Per Carry (min 30 attempts) – Jerick McKinnon (3.4)

McKinnon barely beat out Matt Asiata to be ranked 37th in the NFL in this category, having only a 0.1 yard advantage over bigger, more bruising back. The only other qualifying ball carrier was Adrian Peterson, who only gained 1.9 yards per carry on his 37 attempts. It there were no qualifiers for eligibility, Adam Thielen’s 2 carries for 15 yards would have been the tops (7.5 yards per attempt).

Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Packers 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Receiving Leaders

The passing game of Minnesota had a big resurgence in 2016. Much of that had to do with Sam Bradford completing a lot of passes and opening up the passing game toward the end of the season. There were several players who benefited from this, and here are just a few of those:

Receiving Yards – Adam Thielen (967)

Thielen was knocking on the door of becoming the first Vikings receiver since Sidney Rice to gain 1,000 yards in the passing game. However, he failed to reach that mark, only getting one catch in the final game of the season. Still, his 967 was good for 27th in the league, ahead of star players like A.J. Green and DeAndre Hopkins.

Receiving Touchdowns – Kyle Rudolph (7)

Rudolph turned out to be the guy quarterback Sam Bradford looked to in the end zone. The big catch radius of the former basketball player was a huge asset, hauling in 7 scores, which tied for 16th in the league. That is an improvement from the previous year, were the tight end only brought in 5 touchdowns.

Yards After Catch – Stefon Diggs (320)

There is something special about Stefon Diggs when he gets the ball in his hands. He’s got a great combination of speed and elusiveness to go with his football smarts. He may have only tied for 42nd in the league in the category, but there were several times Diggs did what was needed after catching the ball to pick up a first down for the Vikings.

Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes (29) celebrates with cornerback Trae Waynes (26) his interception against the Chicago Bears at the goal line in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive Leaders

The one place where the Minnesota Vikings truly shined was on defense. Using a great mix of veterans and young players, the team was able to put together one of the best pass defenses in the league and keep the score low to help out an offense that struggled early.

Here are the players who led the team in some important categories on the defensive side of the ball:

Combined Tackles – Eric Kendricks (109)

Kendricks was an absolute monster when it came to tackling. Even though he missed one game due to injury, he was able to land at 24th in the NFL in tackles and continue to improve upon his 92 tackles from last season. He has truly proven to be a gem at middle linebacker.

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Sacks – Danielle Hunter (12.5)

Not enough positive things can be said about Danielle Hunter. The young defensive end led the team in sacks despite being part of the rotation and acting as a backup. His 12.5 sacks landed him in a tie for 3rd in the NFL, an impressive mark for the 22-year-old who more than doubled his numbers in this category from last year.

Interceptions – Xavier Rhodes (5)

Rhodes kept making steps in the right direction, keeping his penalties down while becoming more of an asset to the secondary. He tied for 5th in interceptions in the NFL and has shown potential to continue growing and developing in his coverage.

Which Minnesota Vikings team leaders did you feel were the most impressive? Who do you think is likely to repeat as best on the roster in 2017 and who might regress? Let your thoughts and opinions be heard in the comments below.