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After a rough showing to start the 2023 season, the Minnesota Vikings will have a short turnaround in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams will headline the first Thursday Night Football matchup of the season, though the fantasy upside of a few players remains in flux. Among them is Vikings kicker Greg Joseph, who finished with a quiet scoring performance in Week 1.
As fantasy managers finalize their lineups, does Joseph warrant a starting spot in Week 2?
Fantasy Football analysis: Vikings K Greg Joseph
Joseph converted his lone field-goal attempt and both of his extra points while finishing with 5.0 fantasy points in Week 1. Truth be told, it was an overall forgettable day for the Vikings offense, but fantasy managers were likely hoping for a bit more, even from their kicker. Despite the rough start, Joseph will likely remain a serviceable kicker option moving forward after converting 78.8 percent of his FG attempts in 2022.
Start or sit in Week 2?
Sit. This marks one of the weeks where you can surely find a kicker with a more advantageous matchup on the waiver wire. The Eagles may have been limited to 25 points in Week 1, but that came against a disciplined and well-coached Patriots defense. The Vikings, rather, could be playing from behind Thursday night. If that happens, expect Minnesota to aim for six points on every drive, or at least, treat each opportunity as four-down territory.
Smaller fantasy leagues will likely have more than a few sufficient replacements for Joseph. But even for those in larger leagues, you should be set on rolling with a better-suited kicker than Joseph in Week 2.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Greg Joseph
Anders Carlson of the Green Bay Packers, as well as Graham Gano of the New York Giants, are worth a look as replacements for Joseph. The Packers offense with Jordan Love looked efficient in Week 1, and Carlson could reap the benefits of an Atlanta Falcons matchup that has the potential to be high-scoring. The Giants should be motivated for a better offensive performance in Week 2. But if the Cardinals' defense holds its ground at home, it could set up Gano to take advantage of a few scoring opportunities in Arizona territory.