A year after they had the league's 31st-ranked passing offense, the Minnesota Vikings believe they upgraded the group for 2016, selecting Laquon Treadwell in the first round and welcoming Charles Johnson back to full health after a rib injury. The way things look in training camp, Johnson could have as big an impact on the offense as Treadwell. A look at the fantasy prospects for the Vikings' receivers:
ESPN fantasy projection: 57 catches, 704 yards, 4 TDs
Over or under: The second-year receiver will be playing flanker this year, where he should be able to get more free releases at the line of scrimmage without defensive backs pressing him and he has appeared to be Teddy Bridgewater's favorite target in training camp. Even though the Vikings figure to spread around the targets in an offense that won't lean as heavily on the pass as many in the league, Bridgewater should look Diggs' way plenty. I'll take the over on both catches and yards.
Laquon Treadwell
ESPN fantasy projection: 51 catches, 686 yards, 4 TDs
Over or under: With Johnson getting plenty of work at split end -- and looking like he could start the season there -- I could see the Vikings going slow with Treadwell in the offense. I'll take the under on both catches and yards because of that, but I definitely can see him reaching four touchdowns.
ESPN fantasy projection: 27 catches, 353 yards, 2 TDs
Over or under: Wright hasn't been among the Vikings' top three receivers in training camp, and he has been out with an injury for more than a week. With Adam Thielen challenging for more work as a slot receiver, he could take away some of Wright's chances. That has me leaning toward the under on catches and yards.
Charles Johnson
ESPN fantasy projection: 15 catches, 222 yards, 1 TD
Over or under: Johnson came into last season with lofty projections until he broke a rib in Week 3 and lost his starting job to Diggs. He looks like he'll be a bigger part of the offense again this year, and his 49-yard touchdown catch from Bridgewater in the Vikings' preseason opener was a good reminder of the downfield threat he was in 2014. I'm definitely taking the over on catches, yards and TDs for Johnson in 2016.
Who else could see time: Thielen, who caught 12 passes for 144 yards a year ago, had an impressive 22-yard connection with Bridgewater in the Vikings' first preseason game and has been getting a longer look in training camp. Cordarrelle Patterson could still re-emerge as a factor in the Vikings' offense, though he has been slowed by a shoulder injury in training camp. He's in the final year of his contract and the Vikings are hopeful he has made enough progress as a route runner to be more involved this year.
