Minnesota Vikings: 5 Potential Hall of Fame candidates on current roster
By Luke Parrish
Stefon Diggs
Now we are getting into some more realistic options. Stefon Diggs made major strides from his rookie season into his second year. While injuries have sidelined him briefly in each of the last three seasons, he has been healthy and available when it matters most.
Diggs caught 200 passes on 291 targets in his first three years in the NFL before a huge uptick in 2018. At just 25 years old, Diggs has a bright future ahead.
Why he will get in
Diggs had by his best season in 2018. He saw 149 targets and grabbed 102 of them, good for 1,021 yards and nine touchdowns. Diggs posted career highs across the board in his first season with Kirk Cousins under center. The Vikings have essentially two No. 1 wide receivers in Diggs and Thielen so defenses cannot afford to supply too much help on one. Diggs has found the end zone 17 times over the last two seasons for the Vikings.
His big-play ability and red zone route running make him one of the most dangerous receivers in the league. Diggs is still young. If he stays healthy for a handful of years, he can put up incredible career numbers. He can realistically finish his career with 12,000 yards and 70 touchdowns. Those are Hall of Fame numbers in my opinion.
Why he will miss out
Diggs has to stay healthy. The more he is on the field, the more targets he will get. He also needs stability at the quarterback position. While it is true that great wide receivers make up for poor quarterback play, they need to have some chemistry. Diggs has played with several guys up to this point.
If he can play with Cousins for a lengthy period, then his numbers will continue to improve. If not, he could see a substantial drop in production. There is always going to be the stigma and doubters who claim that Diggs has only been effective because of Thielen’s emergence. Unfortunately, Stefon Diggs will continually have to prove himself.