Case Keenum is a Fraud

Now before you send the pitch forks...(or tiki torches), allow me to explain what I mean...

Let's give Case Keenum the credit that he is due for the performance he has put together this season. Keenum has put up career numbers in 2017 with the Vikings.

Pro Football Reference

Prior to this season Keenum was nothing more than a "career backup" or "journeyman" that accepted his role when joining the Vikings. With Sam Bradford as the clear starter heading into the season, everything changed when Bradford was sidelined with a knee re-aggravation.

Keenum was given the ability to steer the ship, and sans a few performances that reminded critics of the Keenum of old, he has performed like a top quarterback.

This is where Keenum the fraud comes in to play. Prior to the Vikings it was difficult to see Keenum as anything more than a backup. To Keenum's defense, he didn't have the best supporting cast.

The expectation for starting caliber quarterbacks is the ability to elevate one's play to mask team deficiencies. Keenum however didn't perform particularly well either which made evaluation challenging. It's also important to remain healthily skeptical about players who make a leap from below bottom third in every statistical category to top ten.

Keenum has shown that with a proper supporting cast he can elevate his play. A similar comparison was made to a current NFL starter..

Joe Goodberry

It's understandable to be excited about Keenums play this season. Critics have expected the wheels to fall off, or him to regress back towards his mean. His play has remained consistent, but not to be overlooked is his supporting cast remaining fairly healthy and consistent. This is likely the prerequisite with Keenum moving forward, but he's earned himself a big payday and a starting job. The question of where remains to be answered, but for the time being, this might be the real Case Keenum, and could have conned us all prior to 2017.