Tonight’s Thursday Night Football Vikings vs. Chargers matchup could lead to a bunch of fireworks, and you can tune in at 8:20 p.m ET on Amazon Prime to enjoy.
Vikings QB Carson Wentz draws yet another start for the 4-3 Vikings, who seem to not be rushing QB J.J. McCarthy back from his ankle sprain. On the other side of the field, QB Justin Herbert and his Chargers look to bounce back from losses in three of their last four.
Let’s take a look at some PrizePicks projections and stats to consider for this Thursday Night Football showdown.
Vikings vs. Chargers Prediction, Thursday Night Football Pick
The Vikes and the Bolts have plenty to play for in this primetime battle, so let’s take a look at some stats and preview both sides.
Minnesota Vikings Preview vs. Chargers
Coming off a tough 26-22 loss last week to the Philadelphia Eagles and with a brutal schedule ahead, this profiles as a must-win game for the Vikings. Wentz hasn’t been very good, but they have kept themselves in recent games long enough to pull out wins.
A lot of things about the Vikings offense could hinge on the availability of RB Aaron Jones Sr., who has been on IR for the past four games and has been ruled as questionable as of this writing. When Jones plays, the Vikings average more rushing attempts, yards, points, and actually throw the ball less, which helps Wentz out a lot as well.
On the defensive side of the football, the Vikings need to get back into the swing of things, because allowing Philadelphia QB Jalen Hurts to have one of the best outings of his career was not a good look for the DC Brian Flores-led defense. Star LB Andrew Van Ginkel remains out for this matchup but the rest of the squad will aim to step up in his absence.
Los Angeles Chargers Preview vs. Vikings
The Chargers were the latest team to run into the buzzsaw that is the Indianapolis Colts last week, losing 38-24 in a game that saw them fall behind early and play catchup virtually the entire game, forcing Herbert to throw 55 times for over 400 yards in the losing effort.
With multiple recent losses in the last month and the lone win being a 2-point nailbiter over the Miami Dolphins, the Chargers will welcome OTs Joe Alt and Trey Pipkins Jr. back to the starting lineup to help patch holes on what has been one of the league’s worst offensive lines this season.
The Chargers haven’t been a bad defense necessarily, but they have allowed at least 27 points in each of their last 3 games, so they’d probably like to tone that down tonight. They’ll certainly have their hands full in the secondary with WRs Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Vikings vs. Chargers Same-Game Picks for PrizePicks
Here are two Vikings vs. Chargers same-game player picks for Week 7, highlighting projections to watch for Justin Herbert and Justin Jefferson.
You can choose More or Less on these projections on PrizePicks, along with many others, to win real money this NFL season.
Chargers QB Justin Herbert Projections vs. Vikings: 255.5 Pass Yards
It’s hard to ignore how pass-happy the Chargers have been this season. While most people (including myself) figured that the presence of OC Greg Roman along with the drafting of first-round rookie RB Omarion Hampton this season and OT Joe Alt last season would lead to an increased run game presence, the Chargers have gone against the grain and evolved into a pass-heavy offense.
As the tweet above illustrates, this has resulted in Herbert averaging 273 passing yards per game this season. Things may have been skewed a bit by last week’s 420-yard result, but Herbert still wants to sling the ball and should in a good matchup for him.
Vikings WR Justin Jefferson Projections vs. Chargers: 8.5 Rec Targets
No J.J. McCarthy, no problem for Justin Jefferson. The Vikings’ star WR has demonstrated he is as QB-proof as they come, putting up three straight games with double-digit targets and has over 100 receiving yards in two.
Jefferson continues to play extremely well with Wentz, in part as a result of the Vikings being forced into more pass-heavy situations due to Wentz’s limitations as a passer. However, these things tend to work out in fantasy football situations.
The Chargers rank 25th in DVOA vs. WR1s this season, so Wentz could target Jefferson plenty in this matchup, where both teams should be throwing the ball.
The Chargers and Vikings likely view this game as a must-win for their playoff hopes, and there are plenty of ways you can get into the action with PrizePicks.
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