What You Need to Know:

• A 2020 Round 5 pick, Osborn made a nice 2nd year-jump (82-50-655-7).
• He played all 17 games.
• In 4 games with Adam Thielen sidelined, Osborn tallied 3-83-1, 3-21, 3-50-1 and 1-21-1. He saw a respectable 18.5% target share over that stretch.
• Overall, he finished as a WR3 (top-36) or better in 7 games. He finished outside the top-60 WRs in 9 games.
• Among 60 WRs with 70+ targets, Osborn ranked 53rd in yards per route run; T-43rd in YAC per reception.
• He split his time almost evenly between the slot and out wide.
• Osborn noted an area he’d like to improve in this fall: “I want to be someone that can create those big plays,” Osborn said. “Not so much catching the ball and getting down. I want to make a guy miss and then make another guy miss and break that big play for us. Just be a game-changer.”
• Osborn admitted that most of his chances are likely to come after the catch in new HC Kevin O’Connell’s offense. Look for an attack that’s heavy on 3-WR looks and pre-snap motion — good news for Osborn’s playing time.
• Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen return to keep Osborn in the #3 role. He might have to hold off 2nd-year man Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who the Vikings are high on.
• Irv Smith returns after missing all of 2021 with a torn meniscus. An undersized TE, Smith projects to play a sizable role.
• Kirk Cousins returns, despite persistent trade rumors. Osborn caught just 60.9% of his targets from Cousins, so improvement will be key with Osborn’s volume unlikely to grow much (if at all).
• ESPN's Kevin Seifert writes that Vikings WR K.J. Osborn "is having a breakout training camp in his own right."

Draft Sharks Bottom Line:

Osborn was a nice surprise for the Vikings last season. Boosted by 7 TDs and missed time from Adam Thielen and Irv Smith, the 24-year-old finished as the WR40 in PPR.

A deeper offense makes Osborn a candidate to regress in 2022. But the arrival of HC Kevin O’Connell also adds some intrigue to what could be an ascending player only in year 3.

Ultimately, Osborn is more of a WR handcuff who’d likely be a weekly WR3 should Adam Thielen or Justin Jefferson miss time.