Who's your top 3 "didn't see it coming" Vikings?

Sendejo
Remmers
Barr

Reiff
Elflein
McKinnon

Reiff and Elflein I thought would be decent but not "really good". They have been. Entire OL has been a shock to me. Especially after how bad our entire offense looked in the preseason? Been a very welcome surprise.

I was reeeeally down on McKinnon but he has played well the past 2 weeks. It's been great to see. Showing nice burst and taking what's there. He's already proved me wrong. Excited to see him keep it going.

McKinnon has surprised me the past two games, but I'll need to see it sustained much longer to get him in my top 3.  We've seen a couple good games from him before and then nothing notable...

Reiff and Remmers have exceeded my expectations.  No doubt about it.  Fantastic signings.

My third is Mackenzie Alexander...  I haven't seen him get burned during the regular season and I can't recall him being penalized...  he grew a lot in the offseason.  Nickel CB was a big worry for me after Munnerlyn left, but Mac and Newman have filled the void.

@"pattersaur" said: Reiff Elflein McKinnon

Reiff and Elflein I thought would be decent but not "really good". They have been. Entire OL has been a shock to me. Especially after how bad our entire offense looked in the preseason? Been a very welcome surprise.

I was reeeeally down on McKinnon but he has played well the past 2 weeks. It's been great to see. Showing nice burst and taking what's there. He's already proved me wrong. Excited to see him keep it going.

Near carbon copy of what I was going to write.

Maybe the scheme was wrong for McKinnon last year. This year he has been absolutely gutting out runs. Love watching him now. 

Can I say the entire OL? I was hoping all off-season we'd hit a quality level of mediocre...this might be one best since the Denny Green era...

Alexander has been rarely mentioned, which is a good thing for a second year CB...

Griffen has stepped up his game into another level...when you set any franchise record for DLinemen it's saying something...

So early, but the #1 thing for me is the play of the offensive line. Definitely didn't see it coming.

Not that shocked about McKinnon, actually, as he's very athletic. Just nice to see him step up with Cook's injury, that's where I was pleasantly surprised

Elflein
Tom Johnson (thought the run D would be toast with him in there)
Keenum (since the short-notice Pitt debacle, has been OK or better 4 out of 5 times)

Everyone is playing about like I expected save for Tom Johnson. Totally agree with you RS Express, thought Zimmer was making a huge mistake inserting him as the Starter given his issues against the run in the past, his recent injury and his age. Very pleasant surprise.

And I'll eat some crow on Gedeon...so far.

But what I really want to do is publish a nine paragraph apology to the Board for ripping the Draft and all the stupid trade-downs bypassing several good Guard prospects because Danny Boy Isidora has turned into the real deal.

Might not happen this season but he looked pretty good last Sunday.

Yup...mine are what most have mentioned...
Keenum
Reiff
Elflein
Honorable mention...Sendejo
I thought Elflein would be good in a year or two, but he's the real deal.  Keenum shows no fear...which is probably a good thing.

The O-line in general.  Had hope, but figured it would take time.  From the coaches to the players, this has become a strong point after last years disaster.

Reiff - friggen cornerstone LT

Rhodes - he was good last year, but I did not expect the best CB in the NFL.  Teams don't pass to his side.  He is strong in the run game.  No holes in this Rhode

The law firm of:
Elf
Reiff &
Barr

I hate overused seminar words like "synergy." But when it comes to football, I'm a big believer in synergy and the impact of supporting cast--that a good supporting cast will magnify a player's perceived talent and a bad one will disguise it. 

There isn't a player on the team who I thought wasn't capable of the way he's played this year. Give Bradford some stability and balance and he can be an elite QB. Give Diggs a QB who can get him the ball consistently and he can be an elite receiver. Give Reiff some good line mates and some balance and he's a more than capable left tackle.

I guess the player that surprises me most is Jerrick McKinnon. There were some signs last year and in the preseason that he was done. Just didn't look very good at all. Adam Thielen surprises me every time he takes the field. Always makes the tough catch, always gets more yards than you think he will. Another might be Danny Isadora. He was not a player that stood out to me pre-draft and so his training camp was a surprise. And damned if EVERY time I watch him play, he does something impressive and very few bad things.  I think we may have ourselves a future star here. 

For a rookie, Elflein has impressed me with how quickly he started playing at a high level. For a player that was the subject of so much of my criticism before he was drafted, I like what I've seen from Treadwell so far this year. He actually has a chance. And lest we forget our STs, Forbath has been impressive, too. 

Oh and I would have to agree that Rhodes is playing better than I thought he would. Always felt he was a top 10 corner, but there's talk around the NFL that this might be the best corner in the NFL right now. That's just nuts. Vikings??? Wasswa Serwanga's Vikings? A team whose best corner in HISTORY might be Bobby Bryant? Or Carl Lee? Middling players who benefited greatly from their elite DLs?

One player who surprises me in the other direction is Jaleel Johnson. Thought sure he would be contributing more by now. But maybe that's more due to the quality play of those in front of him. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

One player who surprises me in the other direction is Jaleel Johnson. Thought sure he would be contributing more by now. But maybe that's more due to the quality play of those in front of him. 

I think Tom Johnson belongs on the surprises me list.  A guy that was thought of as a possible cut with all the 3 techs we signed, has really played solid football.  It might be playing next to Joseph is helping him out, but I haven't seen any issues with the elder Johnson.

Elflein is my top surprise,followed by.
Keenum
Reiff & Remmers has been better than expected.