Nick Vigil

After signing with the Vikings in free agency, Vigil is the leading candidate to win the starting role at weak-side linebacker. Per Pro Football Focus, he's had mediocre grades as a tackler and is slightly above average in coverage, but he may not have much fantasy value because the Will linebacker comes off the field in Minnesota's nickel and dime packages. Vigil also faces competition from third-round pick Chazz Surratt for playing time.

Vigil piled up a career-high 111 tackles with the Bengals in 2019 but was only able to land a one-year deal with the Chargers in the offseason. The 2016 third-round pick is expected to provide some muscle to the team's porous run defense, although the likes of Drue Tranquill and Kyzir White are expected to rotate in during obvious passing situations while 2020 first-round pick, Kenneth Murray, figures to be the team's primary three-down tackler.

While injuries to Preston Brown and Vontaze Burfict were tough on the Bengals' defense, it was Vigil's knee injury Week 6 against the Steelers that really destroyed the unit. Vigil was the team's leading tackler at the time, and he missed most of that game, subsequent blowout losses to the Chiefs and Saints, and a shootout against the Bucs where the Bengals held on for dear life. When Vigil finally returned in Week 13, he wasn't nearly as effective for the next couple of weeks before finally tallying 17 tackles in Week 17. Vigil is much stronger against the run, allowing 8.1 yards per attempt and an opposing QB rating of 107.8 when targeted in the passing game, and has just one sack and one interception in his pro career. He'll start alongside Brown and probably rookie Germaine Pratt.

Vigil missed multiple games last season due to ankle and back injuries, but when he was in there he recorded 79 tackles, a sack and an interception on 757 defensive snaps. Vigil is listed as the starting strong side linebacker for the Bengals this season, but he's going to face a meaningful challenge for playing time this year. He has to fend off Vincent Rey, second-year player Jordan Evans and third-round pick Malik Jefferson. His best chance to produce will be early on, with Vontaze Burfict suspended for the first four games.

Nick Vigil enters 2016 without expectation to start in his rookie season, merely looking to contribute off the bench. Likely seeing the field as a second or third option, he shouldn’t be looked to for a lot of production during his first professional campaign.