Jerick McKinnon Thread

[Titus Young's Lawyer]

Called it...The late forming hype-train at least. Lets Hope he gets more carries behind AP than Michael did behind Lynch his first year. Wait till McKinnon breaks a big one in garbage time and the legend grows..

[Jimmy Jones]

For all the supposed hype CP is getting lately, I think the McKinnon is the Viking getting overhyped currently. Had 2 buddies in 2 separate leagues tell me that he went in the late 1st (1.10 in a 12 team deep rosters, and 1.13 in 14-team avg. roster size) in recent rookie drafts and how the owners that took him believe he will soon take over as THE heir to AP. The breaks need some pumping.

Well that's pretty silly, if I had to have him, I'd overdraft him in the second, not the first.

[Titus Young's Lawyer]

Looks like If you "Had to have him" in some leagues you would have to take him in the 1st. One thing about my league I'm growing to like is that we start the draft in June so owners can make picks before the real in-depth FF analysis starts. I was able to get Mckinnon in the later rounds. Last year I was able to get Lacy late in the 1st when the "fat lacy" and Jonathan Franklin hype was going on.

[ninotoreS]

Physical freak, but he needs to learn a whole lot. 3rd round feels right given the depth at WR this year.

This. Definitely worth a wait-and-see stash, but don't get starry-eyed about him.

He'd be a 2 in rookie drafts most seasons, but this particular class is very deep with prospective fantasy talent and a 3 is where he should go right now.

Also keep in that mind that even putting aside how raw and untested McKinnon is as a true running-back, it won't be hard for the Vikings to draft a different successor for AP considering how long the interval is likely to be between now and when AP actually retires. McKinnon will have to incubate on your roster for a long damn time (at least two, very possibly three years).

I'm not necessarily opposed to stashing someone that long, but I'd need to be very confident in him as a future blue-chip asset to do it; McKinnon is interesting, but he doesn't justify quite that much optimism, especially considering we haven't heard any of the coaching staff actually claim they see him as a potential 3-down back (rotoworld's staff keeps suggesting it, but for now the Vikings keep saying they only see McKinnon as a potential passing-down back).

I was amazed at what he could do from the QB position on runs- I can't wait to see what he can do as a RB, 7 yards deep. I wouldn't expect anything for a couple years, but if he can make the transition.. look out. yeah, high-ceiling, worth a 3rd round pick easily, for that upside.

Taking an effectively delayed hand-off from deeper in the backfield only gives front-7s more time to react. It's not the automatic advantage vs wildcat or option rushing that you're making it out to be. More often wildcat/option rushing only artificially boosts rushing production, not the other way around. Tim Tebow averaged 5.35 yards per carry running the option in Denver, and he definitely wouldn't have managed that number as an actual running-back taking hand-offs.

[Titus Young's Lawyer]

Hype Train entering overdrive...

"""(Rotoworld)According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "it seems like every day" rookie RB Jerick McKinnon Jerick McKinnon grabs your attention with his athleticism."
Analysis: The top-100 pick reportedly made a sweet juke on a swing pass in Wednesday's practice to elude CB Kendall James before planting his foot in the ground and "shooting into the secondary." McKinnon is an interesting Dynasty prospect with 4.41 jets, a highly explosive 11-foot broad jump, and a 40 1/2-inch vertical at 5-foot-9, 209. There's a chance he's Adrian Peterson's heir apparent."""

They didn't mention while having that speed and explosiveness he had as many bench reps(32) as #2 pick Gregg Robinson DT at 332 pounds!

[Dingram]

Has been getting a lot of praise lately. Received an offer today for team 2 in sig of a 2015 2nd, which I accepted. Drafted 4.12, so felt good getting a 2nd for him

[OhCruelestRanter]

Yes, but poor man's Michael, not "Michael one year ago". Michael is a more polished runner, was drafted with a higher pick, and the organization is not committed to the guy in front of him.

When I think of McKinnon's absolute, 99th percentile upside, I think of guys like Larry Johnson and Michael Turner (and Ben Tate, although he looked like he'd be Houston's starter when he was drafted), who had to wait behind an established superstar until an injury or a trade opened up a new situation. Michael, on the other hand, has a much clearer path to starting.

[italian_stallion21]

Has anyone looked at AP's contract status? He's basically free to be cut, and has a ridiculous cap hit so if he doesn't perform, or McKinnon does rip it up it wouldn't be a surprise to see him be the lead back next year. Unlikely, yes, but not out of the realm of possiblity.

[Water Buffalo]

Physical freak, but he needs to learn a whole lot. 3rd round feels right given the depth at WR this year.

Yeah, I'm sort of in this boat with Mckinnon. It's easy to get excited about the "freakish" athletes, but I wouldn't let the pure athleticism sway your thought process when drafting him. There have been plenty of freak athletes over the years to completely flame out. He might be worth a stash in deeper leagues, even if only because the Vikings really have nothing else behind AP at this point if he goes down again.

Not only this, but anyone being drafted behind AP is guaranteed to be a handcuff and not a whole lot more. He's been as much of a workhorse back over the years as anyone, and despite being oldish in RB terms, he's not really that old. My biggest problem with Mckinnon isnt his potential, but the potential that he's just stuck behind AP for another 3 years.

[RavingLunatic]

I wouldn't worry about him being stuck behind AP for 3 years - Toby was stuck for 4 and look at his value and opportunity now?

[Water Buffalo]

I wouldn't worry about him being stuck behind AP for 3 years - Toby was stuck for 4 and look at his value and opportunity now?

This is true, but roster spots are valuable and Gerhart was useless for those 3 years. He was dropped and picked up several times in my leagues over the course of those 3 years as well, and Mckinnon might very easily follow a similar path.

[RavingLunatic]

I think people will more likely hold onto him like they do CMike. With Toby everyone knew AP wasn't going anywhere any time soon, but due to AP's age, several injuries, and contract concerns I think McKinnon doesn't see the waiver wire in as many leagues.

[Water Buffalo]

Also, let me add, I like him just fine as a prospect. I'm absolutely not saying he's not worth drafting or anything, just that I wouldn't let rookie fever get the best of me and overdraft him in the mid 2nd or something. At a certain point, all of the guys in his similar sort of tier have glaring drawbacks and are crapshoots anyhow. I think the 3rd round is right about where he should be going and I'd be happy to take him there myself.

[Titus Young's Lawyer]

AP is such a beast you don't even think about the possibility of the Vikings entering into a split carry backfield like most of the rest of the league. It actually kinda makes sense because it could keep AP fresh and prolong his career. AP has always been a high character guy and he would most likely embrace the competition. Norv Turner is known for feeding a lead back but he also finds ways to utilize the talent of all his offensive players.

[7roundsinapril]

I think he's more like a rich man's Ray Rice, possibly Tiki Barber ++ too.

Absolutely someone that should be rostered and held in leagues with more than, say, 16 spots. The odds that someone has more than a half-dozen better prospects on their team is close to zero IMO.