Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart
- NFC North
- Stadium
- U.S. Bank Stadium
- Head Coach
- Kevin O'Connell
- Offensive Coordinator
- Wes Phillips
- Defensive Coordinator
- Brian Flores
- Special Teams Coach
- Matt Daniels
- Defensive Scheme
- 3-4
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was not spotted at the team's facility for the start of organized team activities on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jefferson and the Vikings have reportedly been in discussions regarding a new contract for the superstar pass-catcher, and it would not be a surprise if he does not report until he inks a new deal. The 2020 first-round pick has three seasons of at least 1,400 receiving yards on his resume already, and he posted 1,074 yards in just 10 games last season. The 24-year-old holds the NFL record for the most receiving yards per game (98.3), so a hefty payday should be coming soon. Stud wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown signed deals this offseason that include an average salary of at least $30 million, and Jefferson is expected to become the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history when he reaches a new agreement. 2024 will mark the first season he won't be catching any passes from Kirk Cousins, but his 192-yard performance in Week 18 with Nick Mullens at the helm proves he is quarterback-proof.
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee), who tore his ACL and MCL in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions last year, isn't putting a timeline on his return in 2024. "They haven't really put a timeline on it," Hockenson said. "We're just kinda taking it day by day, week by week, there's just so many variables that you can go through in this process. I'm doing really good right now. We're attacking each process. I'm attacking each one and it's been awesome, the progression has been incredible." Even if Hockenson isn't available for the Week 1 season opener this fall, he should be drafted in all fantasy leagues as a surefire, high-end TE1 when healthy, although he will be taking passes from either quarterback Sam Darnold or rookie J.J. McCarthy in 2024. In 15 games last year, Hockenson had 95 catches for 960 yards and five touchdowns.
Former Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan signed an undisclosed deal with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday. Tonyan will stay in the NFC North after playing in all 17 regular-season games with the Chicago Bears in 2203, catching just 11 of 17 targets for 107 receiving yards and no touchdowns. The 30-year-old's addition in Minnesota will give the Vikings a little more depth at the position with T.J. Hockenson (knee) trying to return this fall from a serious knee injury. If Hockenson isn't ready to go for Week 1, Tonyan, Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt would be competing for playing time. Even if Hockenson is delayed to start the 2024 campaign, Tonyan probably won't be anything more than a touchdown-dependent TE2 option in fantasy for a short period of time. He has a total of 148 catches (193 targets) for 1,549 yards and 17 touchdowns (11 in 2020) in his six years in the NFL.
The Minnesota Vikings released veteran cornerback Joejuan Williams on Tuesday, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. The former Vanderbilt Commodore was a second-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2019 but has not found his footing in the NFL. Across 42 games with the Patriots, Vikings, and Bears, Williams has collected 46 tackles (32 solo), 10 pass deflections, and no interceptions. The 26-year-old signed a reserve/future contract on January 8 with the Vikings, but he is being let go after the team selected Oregon cornerback Khyree Jackson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold could be named the team's Week 1 starter over first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. As Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com writes, "It's only a matter of time before McCarthy becomes the Vikings' starting quarterback [...] but it is not likely to happen as quickly as some fans might hope, and if anything, the Vikings are poised to err on the side of methodical caution." Such a scenario could see Minnesota let Darnold, whom they signed this past offseason when Kirk Cousins left for Atlanta, start a few games before transitioning to McCarthy. Darnold has struggled to support major fantasy production from his playmakers at previous stops, including the Jets and Panthers, so fantasy managers might want to temper expectations with players like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson to start the year. Darnold himself falls to the low-end QB3 tier in fantasy football drafts.