Stefon Diggs Thread: Traded to Buffalo!

[FantasyFreak]

It just highlights how absurdly bad the Hopkins trade was ... I mean did they even talk to the Bills?

It's not really the same situation, because Hopkins is wanting a new deal for top dollar. Different players, too. Diggs is a bit younger and is a much bigger deep threat. Bills probably want a guy that can get down the field more than Hopkins. I think the Bills overpaid, though. The Cowboys got Cooper on a rookie deal for a first. Diggs on a 2nd contract shouldn't cost more than that.

Diggs is only a year longer and was a malcontent who forced his way out of Minnesota because among other reason he didn’t like Cousin’s accuracy ... good luck with Allen. But anyway, my point wasn’t about the Bills paid for Diggs, it was that the Texans should have gotten much more for Hopkins if for no other reason than he’s better in the locker room than Diggs. One last thing, the Bills already have a deep threat in Brown, they needed a true #1 WR so the situation is pretty comparable.

Not arguing the locker room thing. Just that Hopkins current deal isn't worth looking at in a 3 year window, because he wants more money now, and possible an extension on that, from what I am hearing. He isn't going to play out the current deal at about 13 million a year for the next 3 years.

[cazzie33]

As a Diggs owner across the board we are extremely pleased to be away from the bromance that is Theilin and his bleep kissing Cousins.

Buffalo's offense is about being a big play waiting to happen... Minny is content to shorten the game with ball control and play to Zimmer's defensive mindset.

Cousins is risk averse which plays into his coach philosophy but there were long stretches where Diggs didn't get a look. Allen will take a shot and can buy time to use his big arm downfield. Don't necessarily think Stefon gets WR1 looks every week like Adams or Nuk but he won't be totally ignored as much so it's a plus.

As an aside let's see how Theilin does with the focus of the double teams being 100% on him next year (unless they bring in another stud WR) Volume will definitely be there (already was) but Diggs was the threat that kept defensive coordinators from choking off the short & intermediate game that is Cousins bread & butter.

Also everyone comparing the draft picks comparison between Diggs / Hopkins conveniently leaving out the DJ factor . Johnson if healthy can bring a 1000 yd rusher that is capable of catching 70 balls..Not that DJ is what he was before after getting beat up behind the Ariz piss poor o-line and unfortunately the Texans line was as bad if not even worse. But if they draft a decent lineman to give Deshaun some help it will help Johnson as well.

[honcho55]

As a Diggs owner across the board we are extremely pleased to be away from the bromance that is Theilin and his bleep kissing Cousins.

Buffalo's offense is about being a big play waiting to happen... Minny is content to shorten the game with ball control and play to Zimmer's defensive mindset.

Cousins is risk averse which plays into his coach philosophy but there were long stretches where Diggs didn't get a look. Allen will take a shot and can buy time to use his big arm downfield. Don't necessarily think Stefon gets WR1 looks every week like Adams or Nuk but he won't be totally ignored as much so it's a plus.

As an aside let's see how Theilin does with the focus of the double teams being 100% on him next year (unless they bring in another stud WR) Volume will definitely be there (already was) but Diggs was the threat that kept defensive coordinators from choking off the short & intermediate game that is Cousins bread & butter.

Also everyone comparing the draft picks comparison between Diggs / Hopkins conveniently leaving out the DJ factor . Johnson if healthy can bring a 1000 yd rusher that is capable of catching 70 balls..Not that DJ is what he was before after getting beat up behind the Ariz piss poor o-line and unfortunately the Texans line was as bad if not even worse. But if they draft a decent lineman to give Deshaun some help it will help Johnson as well.

I rarely if ever come at a post like this, and I want to make it clear I’m a vikes fan so there might be (is) some bias here. But. Huh?

Bromance between thielen and cousins? I’m honestly confused. Would like more elaboration here.

Cousins being risk averse also confuses me. He was on a very high level of throwing ‘catchable’ balls (don’t care to dig that stat up for this argument),but that doesn’t mean he didn’t throw deep. Not to say he was elite here, but he certainly wasn’t lacking. Pick just about any stat/metric you wish, I’m finding 8th-11th or so in any kind of deep ball stat.


Coach philosophy, I will give you that one for sure, Zim wants an old school run game clock management offense. But, that’s supported quality fantasy pass catchers anyways, in thielen diggs and Rudolph.

As for forgetting the DJ factor... come on man, this guy was a complete stud. But he’s past that. Sure I must admit there’s a chance of a resurgence, but he’s likely completely irrelevant either already or very shorty. Hopkins projects to have 1-2 elite years plus several very productive years, in my book.

[Pac_Eddy]

As a Vikes fan, it makes sense to move Diggs, and we got a lot of picks, which is nice. But man, I hate to move an elite talent on a reasonable contract.

It does make me feel better than we got more for Diggs than the Texans did for Hopkins. Texans also paid a boatload for Randall Cobb: is it 2013? Rick Spielman is a good GM. This is a good draft to reload at WR. We have 14 picks in this draft. Trader Rick will be moving around a ton.

And as for Cousins, he's an accurate QB. I don't think that was Diggs' issue. His issue was plain targets and attention. When the Vikings game plan is going, it's a lot of running and ball control with the occasional deep shot. Not sure if the Bills will be that different, but he gets his wish.

[grandmabetty]

Nice trade for the vikes. Diggs is a premier talent but a diva and a cancer. Good riddance. Now we need to draft a CB and an OL in rd 1. Would be interesting if we select diggs brother lol. The more I think of it I'm almost hoping we us both 1sts to move up and grab a LT

[Shcritters]

Nice trade for the vikes. Diggs is a premier talent but a diva and a cancer. Good riddance. Now we need to draft a CB and an OL in rd 1. Would be interesting if we select diggs brother lol. The more I think of it I'm almost hoping we us both 1sts to move up and grab a LT

Interesting take here... but we don’t need a RB. I’m thinking CB and WR in the 1st. If we get Ruggs at 22 or 25 I think we came out ahead (both on contract and on diva-factor).

[Never Veto1]

I think some of you are over stating how good Diggs is. Is he talented? Yeah, but he is not Elite plain and simple. The Vikes traded a good WR with baggage for 4 draft picks. My guess is his baggage will still exist in Buffalo.

[FantasyFreak]

I think anyone that is seeing Diggs going to Buffalo as good for his Fantasy value (considering the other rumoured places) is deluding themselves.

[Bronco Billy]

As a former Diggs owner who will most probably never own him again, not only do you have a potential clubhouse cancer but also a guy who completely disappears as soon as he has a paper cut or a hangnail. If he showed up in any manner on the injury report he had to be benched. Not sure why BUF thought this guy was worth so much draft capital when they’ve already got at least one solid field stretcher on the roster.

[YouMightDieTryin]

^^^ They liked Sammy Watkins too...

[dustyroads]

I think anyone that is seeing Diggs going to Buffalo as good for his Fantasy value (considering the other rumoured places) is deluding themselves.

I'm splitting the difference here as a Diggs owner. Buffalo was probably the worst place out of all the possibilities for sure, but I still think it's better than staying in Minn. I could def be wrong seeing as its just based on my own perception watching the games, but seemed to be quite a few times Diggs would be open streaking down the field and Cousins would look him off and check the ball down. I'd agree with a poster above that it's not necessarily because he couldn't make the throw as he seemed to be pretty accurate the times he would take the shot, but they were few and far between. Could have been the offensive philosophy and what was drilled into him by the coaches, or just a reluctance on his part. I think Allen in Buffalo, while not proving to be as accurate with those balls yet, does chuck it up more often and take chances on those long shots much more frequently (giving John Brown one of his best fantasy seasons in quite a few years).

No clue how they'll split targets, and maybe Brown and Diggs eat into each others production. But I see one of the more promising possibilities is that due to Diggs being one of the premier route runners in the league and the Bills shift this past year to more of building the offense around more of a short passing scheme; they keep John Brown as the streaker pulling the secondary's back and have Diggs running more underneath routes and screens. Speculation sure, but based on seeing Allen's aDOT take a big drop from 2018 to 2019 but his number of drop backs increasing, and their success with this kind of offensive scheme carrying them to the playoffs, I think it's definitely a strong possibility. Again, as an owner, I see this as a positive. Sure I may not have as many blow-up 30pt weeks from Diggs, but I think it could really raise his floor every week giving him a higher number of guaranteed touches and making him easier to set and forget in line-ups not worrying about those 2 target 20 yard weeks either.

Lastly, not to you specifically FF, but anyone who doesn't see Diggs as an elite WR in the NFL isn't watching the game. He's without a doubt one of the leagues best route runners. Say what you want about his "drama" or being a "cancer" (which I think are grossly overblown and half the time seem to be coming from Vikings fans), but I don't see how his talent can be debated. He's been routinely one of the highest graded WRs year after year despite being in a terrible situation.

[FantasyFreak]

I think anyone that is seeing Diggs going to Buffalo as good for his Fantasy value (considering the other rumoured places) is deluding themselves.

I'm splitting the difference here as a Diggs owner. Buffalo was probably the worst place out of all the possibilities for sure, but I still think it's better than staying in Minn. I could def be wrong seeing as its just based on my own perception watching the games, but seemed to be quite a few times Diggs would be open streaking down the field and Cousins would look him off and check the ball down. I'd agree with a poster above that it's not necessarily because he couldn't make the throw as he seemed to be pretty accurate the times he would take the shot, but they were few and far between. Could have been the offensive philosophy and what was drilled into him by the coaches, or just a reluctance on his part. I think Allen in Buffalo, while not proving to be as accurate with those balls yet, does chuck it up more often and take chances on those long shots much more frequently (giving John Brown one of his best fantasy seasons in quite a few years).

No clue how they'll split targets, and maybe Brown and Diggs eat into each others production. But I see one of the more promising possibilities is that due to Diggs being one of the premier route runners in the league and the Bills shift this past year to more of building the offense around more of a short passing scheme; they keep John Brown as the streaker pulling the secondary's back and have Diggs running more underneath routes and screens. Speculation sure, but based on seeing Allen's aDOT take a big drop from 2018 to 2019 but his number of drop backs increasing, and their success with this kind of offensive scheme carrying them to the playoffs, I think it's definitely a strong possibility. Again, as an owner, I see this as a positive. Sure I may not have as many blow-up 30pt weeks from Diggs, but I think it could really raise his floor every week giving him a higher number of guaranteed touches and making him easier to set and forget in line-ups not worrying about those 2 target 20 yard weeks either.

Lastly, not to you specifically FF, but anyone who doesn't see Diggs as an elite WR in the NFL isn't watching the game. He's without a doubt one of the leagues best route runners. Say what you want about his "drama" or being a "cancer" (which I think are grossly overblown and half the time seem to be coming from Vikings fans), but I don't see how his talent can be debated. He's been routinely one of the highest graded WRs year after year despite being in a terrible situation.

I would agree he's one of the better route runners, but that doesn't make you an elite WR. You need to be way more consistent than he is before you are elite. He's never produced an elite season. He's a very good WR, but he's not elite in my eyes. I watch the game, I just have a different definition of elite than you do, here. I'm not putting him in the same category as a guy like MT. Statements like this the one highlighted, for a player who is by no means even in the consideration for future HOF status, or even all pro status, are a bit much, because you are basically saying if you don't agree with my opinion, you're wrong. I see Diggs as a tier below the best WR's in the game, myself. He's still a really good football player, I won't argue that.

[dustyroads]

I think anyone that is seeing Diggs going to Buffalo as good for his Fantasy value (considering the other rumoured places) is deluding themselves.

I'm splitting the difference here as a Diggs owner. Buffalo was probably the worst place out of all the possibilities for sure, but I still think it's better than staying in Minn. I could def be wrong seeing as its just based on my own perception watching the games, but seemed to be quite a few times Diggs would be open streaking down the field and Cousins would look him off and check the ball down. I'd agree with a poster above that it's not necessarily because he couldn't make the throw as he seemed to be pretty accurate the times he would take the shot, but they were few and far between. Could have been the offensive philosophy and what was drilled into him by the coaches, or just a reluctance on his part. I think Allen in Buffalo, while not proving to be as accurate with those balls yet, does chuck it up more often and take chances on those long shots much more frequently (giving John Brown one of his best fantasy seasons in quite a few years).

No clue how they'll split targets, and maybe Brown and Diggs eat into each others production. But I see one of the more promising possibilities is that due to Diggs being one of the premier route runners in the league and the Bills shift this past year to more of building the offense around more of a short passing scheme; they keep John Brown as the streaker pulling the secondary's back and have Diggs running more underneath routes and screens. Speculation sure, but based on seeing Allen's aDOT take a big drop from 2018 to 2019 but his number of drop backs increasing, and their success with this kind of offensive scheme carrying them to the playoffs, I think it's definitely a strong possibility. Again, as an owner, I see this as a positive. Sure I may not have as many blow-up 30pt weeks from Diggs, but I think it could really raise his floor every week giving him a higher number of guaranteed touches and making him easier to set and forget in line-ups not worrying about those 2 target 20 yard weeks either.

Lastly, not to you specifically FF, but anyone who doesn't see Diggs as an elite WR in the NFL isn't watching the game. He's without a doubt one of the leagues best route runners. Say what you want about his "drama" or being a "cancer" (which I think are grossly overblown and half the time seem to be coming from Vikings fans), but I don't see how his talent can be debated. He's been routinely one of the highest graded WRs year after year despite being in a terrible situation.

I would agree he's one of the better route runners, but that doesn't make you an elite WR. You need to be way more consistent than he is before you are elite. He's never eclipsed double digit TD's, or 1200 yards in a year. He's a very good WR, but he's not elite in my eyes. I watch the game, I just have a different definition of elite than you do, here. I'm not putting him in the same category as a guy like MT.

Fair enough, I can understand needing to actually translate the skills into numbers before some people can anoint him. I should change stance to say I think he has the potential to be an elite WR. His numbers have been in line with a WR2 in fantasy the past three years, but I still think it was a really bad situation for him. Hopefully this move allows him to burst into the WR1 scene. He's had some drop issues that need to be cleaned up, and having an attitude with his coach and QB doesn't help either so that will need to improve. I think both happen for him though. Especially if he's utilized more on the short and intermediate routes, I think it will bring that consistency to his fantasy performances.

[Never Veto1]

Lastly, not to you specifically FF, but anyone who doesn't see Diggs as an elite WR in the NFL isn't watching the game. He's without a doubt one of the leagues best route runners. Say what you want about his "drama" or being a "cancer" (which I think are grossly overblown and half the time seem to be coming from Vikings fans), but I don't see how his talent can be debated. He's been routinely one of the highest graded WRs year after year despite being in a terrible situation.

He's not Elite. Julio is Elite, Thomas is Elite, Antonio Brown when he played was Elite. On a FF basis if you have to play against one of those guys, you're saying oh $h!t. No one is saying that about Diggs. Sure great route runner, but it doesn't matter if your not on the field due to injury, or your great route running is compromised because your always injured. Also a terrible situation would be Mitch Trubisky throwing you the ball.

[cazzie33]

One drawback is that Diggs excelled out the slot when used there at times as he got increased targets as opposed to lining up outside. Beasley has that spot locked down. Theilin & Diggs would get flip flopped @ times between the slot & wideout. Usually the guy in the slot got way more targets.

Having the NFL Ticket I'd watch all the Vikings games to see Diggs in particular. They had a stretch at the start of 2018 when he operated out of the slot mostly and averaged double digit targets. Then they moved him outside mainly in'19 and he only had a game or two of over 10 targets. Went from 140+ targets to 93...cant imagine why he wanted out