Vikings vs Lions – Combined 11 Personnel Offense

Who could ever imagine coming out of the bye that the Vikings would hold an unbeaten record? Our Vikings are 5–0 but this week they face their toughest challenge yet. The Detroit Lions are real contenders; they are not the New Jersey Packers, they really have become the real deal. This matchup is probably the biggest Vikings versus Lions game in decades.

However, if you had to combine them to make the best starting 11 personnel offense (1 running back, 3 wide receivers, and 1 tight end) which players would make the team?

QB – Jared Goff DET

Other than win the big game, Jared Goff has done it all. He’s won the NFC Championship. He’s won multiple division titles. He has a great supporting cast, but you need the talent to be able to conduct it and that is what he has. Sam Darnold has started to show this, but even I – as someone who’s been on the hype train – since day one have to admit that he looked shaky in London, and that is why I pick Goff here.

RB – David Montgomery DET

Two weeks ago, I would’ve picked Aaron Jones, and while class is permanent, Montgomery’s form this season has rightly earned him a new contract. At least one touchdown in every game of the season, his performances have been so good that they not only frustrate opposing fantasy managers, they frustrate Jahmyr Gibbs fantasy owners too.

WR1 – Justin Jefferson MIN

Who else! Seriously?! Who else?! Jefferson is the best in the league. I’m running out of superlatives. Even if defenses think they’ve kept him quiet, he will come up with a clutch catch when you need it most. WR1!

WR2 – Amon-Ra St. Brown DET

If it wasn’t for Justin Jefferson, St. Brown would be the best receiver in the NFC. If he has a quiet game, it’s by the offensive play caller’s design and not as a result of the opposing defensive backs. Against the Cowboys, he saw his lowest number of targets in a game and he still caught them all, including one touchdown. Minnesota’s cornerbacks will have to earn their gamechecks on Sunday.

WR3 – Jordan Addison MIN

Addison returned with a bang against Green Bay with touchdowns on the ground and through the air. Minnesota struggled on offense against the Jets and the conditions didn’t help. I’m backing Addison to be more of the guy we saw against the Packers than who we saw in London.

TE – TJ Hockenson MIN

The Hock is back… in practice at least. He’s questionable to play on Sunday, but when he comes back, he’s gonna prove me right: he’s going to be a weapon for Darnold. Detroit’s Sam LaPorta is another great tight end but his numbers are down considerably this season. That feels like the case for a lot of tight ends, and I’m sure tight end numbers will continue to be lower than expected, except for our TJ Hockenson.

LT – Christian Darrisaw MIN

This week has been the toughest yet to decide on the offensive line. The Detroit line is arguably the best in the league, but Minnesota’s pair of tackles are quite simply elite. I couldn’t split Decker and Darrisaw, so I looked to PFF. This season Darrisaw has allowed one less sack than Decker and has a PFF grade record of 85.0 so far this season, whereas the latter has a grade of 75.2.

LG – Graham Glasgow DET

I came off the Brandel hype train for one week and regretted it. For me, he has been the best left guard we’ve had in years (even if that bar is rather low). Glasgow, however, has been a solid enough guard throughout his career, the Broncos line looks worse off without him and Detroit’s has improved dramatically since his return to the Motor City.

C – Frank Ragnow DET

If only the Vikings had moved up for Ragnow in 2018, how many issues would that have solved?! A Minnesota native and with the retirement of Jason Kelce, a strong shout for the best centre in the league. It’s a no-brainer… sorry Garrett.

RG – Kevin Zeitler DET

If Zeitler were even an average right guard then he would make this team. Right now, there is no competition for the right guard in these combined 11s to come from the Vikings, where the only number on Ed Ingram’s PFF profile that is lower than his pass blocking grade (29.4) is his age. With Dalton Risner returning to practice, hopefully this will change in the near future.

RT – Penei Sewell DET

Brian O’Neill is still elite – in London, when those around him struggled, he still put up a PFF grade of 90.9. However, in his bye week, Penei Sewell made the position look so easy that they even tried to involve him in a hook-and-ladder play to further humiliate Mike Zimmer’s Cowboys defense. Hopefully the Vikings defense will be 100 times better than that of the Cowboys, and make the Lions’ visit to US Bank Stadium seem like a Halloween horror story come early!

What do you think of my starting offense? What changes would you make… if any?