Minnesota Vikings: 3 Players to watch in Preseason Week 2 vs. Seahawks

The Minnesota Vikings enter a crucial stretch of preseason action by taking on the Seahawks and these players will be put under the microscope.

There’s no denying the disappointment that the Minnesota Vikings inspired last season. With Kirk Cousins‘ arrival, many assumed the Mike Zimmer’s team would take a massive leap forward and be a potential Super Bowl contender. Unfortunately, the didn’t as the missed out on the playoffs entirely. Now, they’re looking to fix that, and the journey to do so stops at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday to take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 of the preseason.

Russell Wilson and the Seahawks should provide a good test for Minnesota. The Vikings stout and deep defense should be tested by a strong running game and unique passing game. Meanwhile, the Vikings offense will have a chance to show off its potency against a defense that, for the most part, is transitioning a bit.

While preseason games and the results aren’t relevant, the performances of certain players are. Guys are looking to step up and prove themselves throughout every week of the preseason and that’ll be no different for Minnesota in this matchup.

Having that in mind, these are three Minnesota Vikings players worth watching on Sunday night against the Seahawks.

More from NFL Spin Zone

• Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
• Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens

3. Chad Beebe, WR

As a rookie last season, Northern Illinois product Chad Beebe played in three games and managed four catches for 39 yards over that span. Now entering year two, he’s been turning heads consistently at training camp and churning up a great deal of buzz about the factor he could be for Kirk Cousins and the Vikings offense in the 2019 campaign.

Unfortunately, Beebe was a virtual no-show in the preseason opener against the Saints. He was on the field but failed to register even a single target, much less a catch. Though that didn’t kill the Beebe hive, another lack of production like that in Week 2 of the preseason might. As such, the second-year wide receiver needs to go out and make an impact against Seattle and showcase what everyone has been raving about throughout camp.

2. Alexander Mattison, RB

While both Mike Boone and Ameer Abdullah broke off big runs for the Vikings last week, rookie third-round pick Alexander Mattison did not. In fact, the Boise State product got nine carries but ended up with only 30 yards rushing — good for only a meager 3.3 yards per tote average. And while he caught a one-yard touchdown, his night wasn’t all that impressive.

Latavius Murray‘s free-agency departure potentially puts Mattison in that role behind Dalvin Cook on the depth chart. If that is indeed going to be the case, the rookie needs to showcase that he can be a more consistent runner. Yes, it’s good to see him catch passes but if he wants to have an immediate role in Minnesota, he needs to show up better than 3.3 yards per carry.

1. Hercules Mata’afa

The Vikings signed Hercules Mata’afa as an undrafted free agent in 2018 with hopes that he could be a sleeper for them. At Washington State, the defensive tackle didn’t showcase traditional size — or anywhere close to it. What he did show, though, was elite quickness and football IQ to complement impressive strength for his size.

After not getting his shot to show that last year due to a torn ACL, Mata’afa is now back in the fold and trying to make a name for himself. In addition to showing out in training camp, the second-year defender was a beast against New Orleans last week. Mata’afa put up three tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and two quarterback hits against the Saints to really make an impact.

Given his size, Mata’afa is always going to have his doubters. Furthermore, being on the Vikings defense puts him fighting an uphill battle in terms of playing time and perhaps a roster spot. Even still, if he can continue to go out and perform at that high of a level in preseason games, the Washington State product is simply going to be undeniable.