Predictions Summary Projections by Position Projection Team Boxes

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Prediction: GB 34, MIN 16 (Line: GB by 10)

UPDATE: Matt Asiata is out this week because of his concussion, Greg Jennings is listed a quesionable and was held out this week to rest his sore ribs but he returned for a full practice on Friday and is expected to play.

The Packers won 42-10 when the Vikes visited in week five. If anything, the Packers are better and the Vikes are worse in this meeting.

Not unlike the Patriots, the Packers are really hitting on all cylinders just in time for the stretch run for the playoffs. The remaining schedule has three road games where the Pack will be favored and the home games contain the Pats and Lions for the only potential stumbling blocks. Given that the Lions won in Detroit back in week three, the season finale when the Lions visit could be for all the NFC North marbles. At least the Packers are coming off two 50+ point games for the first time in franchise history.

QUARTERBACK : The only time that Aaron Rodgers failed to score three times in the last seven games is when he threw for 418 yards and one score in New Orleans and even then he ran in a score as well. Rodgers is money every week and his lowest effort of the year was back in week five when he threw for only 156 yards and three touchdowns on the Vikes in a game they won by 32 points.

RUNNING BACK : Eddie Lacy is a more complete back now with nice work as a receiver for the last month. His rushing yardage tends to end up around 60 yards per week and he scored five rushing touchdowns but he also caught a touchdown in each of the last two games and averaged over 70 yards as a receiver in the last three weeks. Lacy ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries in the last meeting with the Vikings.

WIDE RECEIVER : Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are all but unstoppable and both have been major fantasy studs this year. Nelson already scored nine times while breaking 100 yards in five games. Cobb notched ten touchdowns with four efforts topping 100 yards. Each has one bad game this year and every other has been high yardage or a touchdown or more likely both. Nelson (1-66, TD) and Cobb (3-34, TD) both scored but otherwise had a low game against the Vikings last time.

TIGHT END : No fantasy value.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: No real changes from last time though they’ll be less likely to just hand it to Lacy to win like the last meeting in Green Bay. Rodgers, Lacy, Nelson and Cobb – no need to think about it.

The Vikings continue to struggle to post points against any defense that doesn’t qualify as bottom of the barrel and scored 20 points or more just once in the last six games. The recent ruling that Adrian Peterson would be suspended for the rest of the year means there is no cavalry on the way. There is some speculation that the might be able to play while his appeal is heard but so far that has not come to be. Peterson will be welcomed back whenever he is free to play again.

QUARTERBACK : Teddy Bridgewater was not the starter when Christian Ponder threw for 222 yards and two interceptions in the last meeting with the Packers. He is on a four game streak with one score in each and is slowly coming along. Despite trailing significantly on the scoreboard, he has been held under 200 passing yards by all but the worst secondaries.

RUNNING BACK : Jerick McKinnon still has never scored and his marginal role as a receiver means that he just doesn’t total up many yards in most games. Matt Asiata does almost nothing each week though in home games versus Atlanta and Washington he ran in three scores for the only fantasy value he’s generated this year. Asiata (15-72) and McKinnon (7-24) had down games against the Packers in week five.

WIDE RECEIVER : Charles Johnson comes off a six catch, 87 yards effort in Chicago which is more than his previous four games combined. Johnson was held to one catch for seven yards in the previous meeting with the Packers. Cordarrelle Patterson remains a monumental bust and rarely breaks 25 yards in any game of the last several weeks. Greg Jennings is the most consistent and scored twice but eve he has yet to exceed 77 yards in any game. This is a unit devoid of any fantasy value. Jennings (2-31) and Patterson (2-8) were nonfactors against the Packers in week five. Jennings injured his ribs last week but I will assume he can play and update as warranted.

No receiver gained more then 31 yards versus the Packers last time.

TIGHT END : The big return of Kyle Rudolph was just another Viking flop as he had no catches and no targets. There is no fantasy value here and last week Rhett Ellison caught a touchdown on his only catch. Ellison has just ten receptions on the year. Back in week five, Chase Ford ended with three receptions for 31 yards versus the Packers.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: Just because they are at home doesn’t mean any of these players are any more fantasy relevant. The only play is McKinnon for a moderate bit of yardage and that is all you can rely on.

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