Vikings vs. Buccaneers Key Players to Watch | Week 1

One of the top pass-catchers in the NFL last year will be a player to watch when Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

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Vikings vs. Buccaneers Game Info

• Game Date: Sunday, September 10, 2023
• Time: 1:00 PM ET
• Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium
• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• TV: CBS

Top Vikings Players

• Last season Kirk Cousins racked up 4,547 passing yards (267.5 per game) while going 424-for-643 (65.9%) and throwing for 29 touchdowns with 14 interceptions.
• A season ago Alexander Mattison churned out 283 rushing yards (16.6 per game) and scored five touchdowns.
• Jefferson grabbed 128 passes for 1,809 yards last season and scored eight touchdowns. He was targeted 184 times, and averaged 106.4 receiving yards.
• T.J. Hockenson’s stat line last year showed 86 grabs for 914 yards and six touchdowns. He put up 53.8 yards per game.
• K.J. Osborn caught 60 passes for 650 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 38.2 yards per game.
• Danielle Hunter had a solid body of work a year ago, notching 10.5 sacks, 12 TFL and 65 tackles.
• Jordan Hicks’ 2022 campaign saw him total 129 tackles, two TFL, three sacks, and one interception.
• Harrison Smith intercepted five passes and tacked on 85 tackles, one TFL, and 10 passes defended last season.

Top Buccaneers Players

• Baker Mayfield threw for 2,163 yards while completing 60% of his passes last season, with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions (180.3 yards per game).
• Rachaad White churned out 481 rushing yards (28.3 per game) and scored one touchdown. He also added 50 catches for 290 yards with two receiving TDs.
• Last year Chase Edmonds ran for 245 yards on 68 carries (18.8 yards per game), with two rushing touchdowns.
• Last season Mike Evans was targeted 127 times and notched 77 catches for 1,124 yards and six touchdowns.
• Chris Godwin’s stat line last season was 104 grabs for 1,023 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 68.2 receiving yards per game.
• Cade Otton racked up 391 yards on 42 catches with two touchdowns in 2022.
• Last season Vita Vea registered 6.5 sacks, seven TFL and 31 tackles.
• Lavonte David’s 2022 campaign saw him total 124 tackles, 10 TFL, and three sacks.
• Jamel Dean intercepted two passes and tacked on 54 tackles, one TFL, and eight passes defended last season.

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Vikings Fantasy Stats

• Cousins was the No. 8 fantasy player overall and the No. 8 fantasy QB in 2022 with 291.6 points (averaging 17.2 per game).
• Jefferson put up total 240.6 fantasy points last season (14.2 per game), which made him the 18th-ranked player overall and the top-ranked WR.
• Last year, Hockenson’s 129.4 total fantasy points made him the No. 83 fantasy player and No. 4 TE. He averaged 7.6 fantasy points per game.
• Osborn put together the 124th-ranked fantasy season (43rd among WRs) in 2022 with 95.6 fantasy points, averaging 5.6 per game.

Buccaneers Fantasy Stats

• Evans’ productive 2022 fantasy season gave him the No. 65 spot overall and the No. 16 spot among WRs. He scored 148.4 fantasy points on the year (9.9 per game).
• Mayfield was the 92nd-ranked player overall and the 27th-ranked QB after scoring 121.4 fantasy points (10.1 per game) last year.
• Godwin was the 26th-best WR and the 94th-best fantasy player overall with 118.8 fantasy points last season, averaging 7.9 per game.
• White’s 2022 fantasy rankings saw him finish as the No. 130 player overall and the No. 40 RB after he scored 89.1 fantasy points (5.2 per game).