Vikings have three players among Pro Bowl ballot leaders

This  season has quickly deteriorated for the Vikings, though a few players are gaining Pro Bowl  respect from the fans.

Three Vikings players rank among the top five at their positions in fan balloting for the Pro Bowl, which runs through Dec. 13. Players and coaches cast their votes on Dec. 16 and the rosters will be announced Dec. 20.

Cordarrelle Patterson leads the NFC’s special teams contributor category with 102,116 votes. That’s separate from return specialist, where Seattle’s Tyler Lockett leads the voting. Patterson, whose 30.5-yard average on kickoffs tops the league, has picked up additional duties as a gunner on coverage teams.

Harrison Smith is second overall among free safeties with 89,565 votes from the fans. He trails Seattle’s Earl Thomas (144,891), the four-time All-Pro safety who suffered a broken leg Sunday night and will not return this season. Smith leads the Vikings in tackles (84 combined) along with two sacks, two pass deflections and no interceptions through 12 games this season.

Linval Joseph is fifth overall among defensive tackles with 132,926 votes. The Vikings nose guard is fourth on the team in tackles (53 combined), two for a loss, and has three sacks and two forced fumbles. Los Angeles’ Aaron Donald and Miami’s Ndamukong Suh lead defensive tackles in the NFC and AFC.

Cowboys rookies Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott are the top two vote-getters in the league. Prescott, the fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State, leads five quarterbacks in the top 10 of fan voting ahead of Tom Brady, Derek Carr, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees.

Cornerback Xavier Rhodes, whose four interceptions leads the Vikings and is tied for fourth in the NFL, is not among the league’s top five in fan voting. Richard Sherman, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Patrick Peterson and Josh Norman currently lead.

No early Pro Bowl ballot leaders for the Vikings offense, a group with four starters on injured reserve and ranks 26th in points and 31st in yards per play.

Last season, running back Adrian Peterson was the lone initial Pro Bowl selection for the Vikings. Four more, including Smith, eventually joined him as alternates.