Deep Rate: 13.41% | Passing NEP per Attempt: 0.84 | Success Rate: 48.65%
Sam Bradford was like Alex Smith in a lot of ways this year, but his effectiveness on deep passes was not one of them. In fact, Bradford was on our aforementioned list of the league's best deep-ball passers. It just wasn't a major part of the Minnesota Vikings' arsenal.
Because of the team's injuries on the offensive line, it made sense to shift to a more conservative game plan to get rid of the ball in a hurry. However, Bradford seemed to grow frustrated of this and said the team needed to throw deep more often in late November.
They played four games after Bradford's complaint, and it did seem to have a positive impact on the team's vertical passing game.
| Bradford Going Deep | Deep Rate | Passing NEP per Attempt | Success Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 11 Games | 12.47% | 0.76 | 46.94% |
| Final 4 Games | 15.72% | 1.00 | 52.00% |
To be clear, this deep rate was still below the league average of 17.79% even after Bradford voiced his concerns. But it was at least a step forward for what had been an overly conservative offense previously.
If the Vikings were to deploy this type of offense in 2017, they'd be a lot more enticing for fantasy purposes. Adam Thielen had the second-best Target NEP per target on deep passes among receivers with at least 20 such opportunities, and Stefon Diggs was solid in an injury-ridden season.
With Adrian Peterson potentially out the door, the offense has a chance to redefine itself, and an increase in vertical passes would be a positive step.