Vikings' Kirk Cousins named among 'underrated' players by analytics staffers

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has received some love ahead of Christmas. 

For a piece published Tuesday, ESPN's Seth Walder noted that multiple analytics staffers around the league named Cousins among "generally underrated" NFL players based on their "quantitatively informed opinion" for a poll. 

"Cousins probably isn't the most undervalued controlling for his position, but he probably generates the most value compared to how much people think he does," one individual explained. "He's easily a well-above-average QB." 

During an offseason that saw big-name signal-callers such as Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, Matt Ryan and Baker Mayfield change teams, Cousins put pen to paper on an extension that should link him with the Vikings through at least the 2023 season. Cousins has led the Vikings to a 10-2 through the first 13 weeks of the 2022 season. The team will look to improve to 11-2 when it faces the 5-7 Lions in Week 14.

Per ESPN stats, Cousins begins Week 14 21st among qualified quarterbacks with an 88.1 passer rating and a 51.5 total QBR this season. He's 10th with 2,933 passing yards and 11th with 18 touchdowns through the air, but only four players have thus far thrown more interceptions than Cousins (9). 

According to the "Sunday Night Football on NBC" Twitter page, Cousins leads the entire league in two important categories: