Can the Minnesota Vikings Survive with Josh Dobbs at QB?

The Minnesota Vikings acquired QB Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals for a late-round pick swap ahead of the NFL trade deadline. QB Kirk Cousins is out for rest of the season with a torn Achilles. The Vikings needed to address the quarterback position. Bringing in a serviceable veteran in Dobbs gives the Vikings a chance to potentially keep their offense and season on track.

The Cardinals are very close to activating Kyler Murray and letting him loose without restrictions. Arizona has a developmental backup already in house in rookie Clayton Tune, making Dobbs expendable.

With Cousins’ injury, panic quickly set in among fantasy football investors in the Minnesota Vikings offense. Justin Jefferson has missed the last three games due to injury, but he’ll be back for the fantasy playoff push. T.J. Hockenson is one of the top tight ends in fantasy football. Jordan Addison looks like a star in the making.

Rookie QB Jaren Hall is preparing to start for the Vikings on Sunday. But given he made his NFL debut just last week in relief of Cousins, it’s fairly safe to assume that Dobbs will take over the starting job in Week 10. Starting for the Vikings offense in the second half of the season is a big boost to Dobbs’ Superflex value. But how much can he salvage for a fantasy football offense that was humming prior to Cousins’ injury?

Can the Vikings offense survive with Dobbs?

Dobbs ranks 21st in total passing yards through eight weeks with 1,569. He is within 100 passing yards of both Russell Wilson and Mac Jones. Each have also played eight games this season. 

The trouble for Vikings pass catchers is that Dobbs is living on volume, not efficiency. Dobbs’ 62.8 completion percentage and 5.9 yards per attempt are poor numbers. His rushing production is keeping him fantasy relevant with 258 yards and three touchdowns so far on the season. His rushing numbers have pushed him all the way up to QB13 on the season in six-point passing touchdown leagues.

Dobbs’ change of scenery is clearly more of a positive for his own fantasy prospects than for the Vikings pass catchers. But it’s still encouraging to see the Vikings bring in a veteran to potentially improve their disastrous situation after Cousins’ injury.

Addison, Hockenson and their teammates will have to catch passes from Jaren Hall for at least a week while Dobbs prepares. Even when it’s Dobbs under center, Cousins’ absence will surely be missed. Their fantasy football values will all suffer significantly.

Minnesota will have a Week 13 bye, which gives Dobbs just four games to play in the fantasy football regular season. He’s a sneaky option for Superflex managers ahead of the fantasy football playoffs. The Vikings go on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals followed by two indoor home matchups against the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers in Weeks 15-17. I’m not suggesting Dobbs can be a league-winning QB2. But you could do a lot worse than a rushing QB with Jefferson, Addison and Hockenson at his disposal.

On the other hand, fantasy managers are right to worry about their Vikings fantasy football options. Jefferson and Hockenson were lineup locks, and Addison himself is close to reaching that conversation. But with Dobbs soon to be taking over the offense, it’s not too late to put your Vikings on the trade block and see if you can’t find a manager willing to bet on their talent.

Jefferson specifically can obviously fetch you a serious haul in a redraft league. He clearly should no longer be valued as the undisputed top player in all formats. But Jefferson could easily get you in the conversation for receivers like Stefon Diggs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, and others.

Addison should be considered a WR3 or flex play when Jefferson returns. That may seem harsh for a player that currently stands as the WR11 in PPR leagues. But Addison has benefitted significantly from Jefferson’s absence. His five touchdowns in the last four games is also an unsustainable rate.

It’s too early to write the obituary on the Minnesota Vikings offense, and Josh Dobbs has a big opportunity. But the Vikings offense as a whole is likely going to be a shadow of its former self with Cousins done for the year.