The Minnesota Vikings continue an improbable run right now, as they won their fourth straight after starting 1-4. In that last loss, Justin Jefferson was injured and is still on the injured reserve. Quarterback Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles last week, and he is out for the year.
Rookie quarterback Jaren Hall got the start today, but he was injured early as well. So, without even practicing with the starters during the week, Joshua Dobbs went in and played quarterback, leading the Vikings to a 31-28 win against the Atlanta Falcons.
He didn’t start on Sunday largely because he hadn’t practiced with the starters, but Dobbs is now the guy. Now that he is the starter, should fantasy football managers sign him off the waiver wire?
Should Joshua Dobbs Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 10?
First, before we talk fantasy implications with Dobbs, can we give this guy some credit? For him to be traded Tuesday, not work with the starters at all, and then come off the bench in an NFL game and lead the team to a win is flat-out incredible. I know Baker Mayfield did it last year with the Los Angeles Rams, but that was a spectacular feat by Dobbs as well.
Now, back to the fantasy implications — should Dobbs be a waiver wire acquisition? This is very tricky. Dobbs’ ability to run the ball makes him very intriguing, but there is uncertainty still with the Vikings’ offense moving forward. Right now, the team is not sure what exactly the plan is going to be with Jefferson.
MORE: Early Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups
He is technically eligible to come off the injured reserve this week, but he has still not even met with the doctors. If Jefferson was a guarantee to come back healthy, then Dobbs would be an absolute no-brainer.
However, even despite that uncertainty, it is worth taking a chance on Dobbs. Even without Jefferson, the Vikings still have some playmakers at skill positions. Rookie Jordan Addison is an emerging star at the receiver position, while K.J. Osborn is absolutely a serviceable receiver. Tight end T.J. Hockenson is one of the very best in the business, giving Dobbs some playmakers.
Also, if you look at the next few games on the Vikings’ schedule, there are some interesting opponents that Dobbs could have a good day against. The next three teams the Vikings play are the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, and Chicago Bears.
New Orleans is a top-10 pass defense, but the Broncos (27th) and the Bears (29th) are two defenses that aren’t very good. Tyson Bagent, despite throwing three interceptions, still put up 15.8 fantasy points against the Saints on Sunday. He was able to rush for 70 yards and is nowhere near the rushing threat Dobbs is.
The Falcons also have a very good pass defense (eighth), and Dobbs ended up with 24.9 fantasy points against them in Week 9 on short notice. Look — is he going to win you a fantasy championship with multiple big weeks? Probably not, but with quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Tua Tagovailoa on bye next week, you could do far worse at the position than Dobbs.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!