Minnesota Vikings News

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy's lack of availability through his first two NFL seasons is the Minnesota Vikings' "foremost concern," according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. McCarthy has played in 29% of the team's regular-season games since he was drafted in the first round in the spring of 2024. The 23-year-old has dealt with a torn meniscus in his knee, a sprained ankle, a concussion, and hand and finger injuries. Durability concerns are the primary reason why Minnesota is seeking QB insurance behind McCarthy going into the 2026 season. But injuries aren't the only reason for the Vikings to be concerned. Outside of a four-game stretch to close last season, McCarthy's overall body of work ranked at the bottom among all qualified QBs. The team removed most of its over-the-middle passing concepts last season to keep McCarthy's line of sight as simple as possible. It's clear McCarthy is still developing after missing his entire rookie campaign, but if he doesn't show improvement soon, he could be looking at losing the franchise QB title sooner than later.

For the first time since the end of his explosive rookie season, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is being priced outside the top five of the position in dynasty startups. Still only 26 years old, the dip in value is in no way indicative of a decline in talent but rather stems from the poor quarterback play that contributed to his career-worst 9.4 fantasy points per game in 2025. Unfortunately for Jefferson and the Vikings, no quick fix appears to be coming to Minnesota, with the team likely to give third-year signal-caller J.J. McCarthy one more shot to lock down the starting job for 2026. It should come as no surprise if the team also brings in a veteran presence for a training camp competition, though the free agent market is relatively barren. Head coach Kevin O'Connell has long been regarded as a quarterback whisperer, but unless he's able to draw a drastic improvement from McCarthy or whomever he deems worthy of leading the team moving forward, Jefferson's value could continue to slide.

A first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was expected to take over as the team's unquestioned QB1 in 2025. However, the 23-year-old struggled mightily in his first chance to be an NFL starter this past season. Across 10 starts, McCarthy completed 57.6% of his pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He was able to add some value with his legs, rushing for 181 yards and four touchdowns on 37 attempts. However, injuries and availability have also been a major issue for McCarthy. After missing his entire rookie year with a torn meniscus, McCarthy missed time in 2025 with a high-ankle sprain, a concussion, and a fractured hand. Heading into 2026, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has stated that the team aims to have a "competitive" quarterback situation in training camp. While McCarthy is still young and could still be the long-term answer in Minnesota, his fantasy stock in dynasty formats is trending in the wrong direction.

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson had an underwhelming season as the team endured poor quarterback play and inconsistency at the position. Hockenson played 15 games in 2025, starting all of them. He caught 51 passes for 438 yards and three touchdowns, posting the lowest receiving yards total and fantasy points per game mark since he was a rookie. He ultimately finished as the overall TE26 in full-PPR leagues. Although it's fair to blame the trio of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer for Hockenson's frustrating year, that doesn't mean he'll magically bounce back in 2026. McCarthy is due back as the Vikings' quarterback next season. Interestingly, Hockenson also struggled with Sam Darnold as his quarterback in 2024, so he really hasn't been a trustworthy fantasy tight end since Kirk Cousins quarterbacked the Vikings in 2023. Hockenson is under contract for two more years, but the Vikings have a potential out this offseason. If Minnesota releases Hockenson post-June 1, they would create $15.96 million in cap space while taking on $5.34 million in dead money. It certainly wouldn't hurt the Vikings to keep the veteran tight end to help support McCarthy's development, but we also wouldn't be surprised to see the team's next general manager capitalize on this opportunity to create cap space.

In his first season with the team in 2024, Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. recorded over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and played 17 games, earning himself a second contract. However, Jones Sr. struggled through injuries and a production decline in 2025, logging just 747 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on 160 touches across 12 games played. Even when Jones Sr. was healthy, Minnesota split backfield work between him and Jordan Mason, limiting the production upside for both players. If Jones Sr. is back with the Vikings in 2026, he figures to work in a timeshare with Mason once again. Minnesota could also save $8 million against the cap by releasing Jones Sr., so the veteran running back may find himself in a new home come September. Regardless of where Jones Sr. is playing in 2026, his days as a true lead back for an NFL team may be coming to an end as he hits his age-32 season.

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason had a career-high 159 rushing attempts for 758 yards (career-low 4.8 yards per carry) and a career-high six rushing touchdowns in 16 games (five starts) in 2025 in his first year with the team. The 26-year-old added a career-best 14 receptions on 16 targets for 51 yards through the air. He'll be under contract with the Vikes again in 2026 after signing a two-year, $10.5 million deal in March of last year. Mason's fantasy ceiling was capped while working in a timeshare with Aaron Jones, who is also under contract through next season, and he finished as the RB34 in half-PPR scoring while averaging only 7.7 fantasy points per game. In what should be a similar role in 2026, Mason will be an RB3/flex target later in fantasy football drafts as the power back for Minnesota. Those who roster the oft-injured Jones would be wise to handcuff him to Mason.

Although Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the sixth straight season in the NFL in 2025, he was a massive disappointment for fantasy football managers. Jefferson was a top-10 fantasy selection in most fantasy drafts last year, but he finished as only the WR25 in half-PPR scoring. The difference in 2025 was his lack of chemistry with young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who played in only 10 games due to injuries. When McCarthy was on the field, he didn't show much chemistry with Jefferson and was way too inconsistent accuracy-wise. Jefferson caught 84 passes, which was his lowest total in six seasons, other than when he had 68 receptions in an injury-plagued 2023 season. His two touchdowns and 1,048 receiving yards were both career lows. Jefferson remains an elite fantasy wideout talent-wise, but he's going to drop in the 2026 rankings a bit until he and McCarthy can develop a more consistent connection.

Charges will not be filed against Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison, according to his agent. Addison's agent told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network that Addison will now prepare for the filing of a civil claim arising from the alleged wrongful arrest. The 23-year-old pass-catcher was facing a misdemeanor trespassing charge from his Jan. 12 arrest in Tampa. Addison, who had a speeding incident in 2023 and a DUI charge in 2024, most likely won't face any additional punishment from the league after charges were dropped. Still, his off-the-field incidents could play a factor in whether the Vikings decide to pick up his fifth-year option, which would guarantee him around $17.5 million for the 2027 season. The former 23rd overall pick in 2023 out of USC had his worst year in 2025, catching 42 passes for 610 yards and three touchdowns with quarterback J.J. McCarthy struggling with consistency and injuries. Addison's fantasy stock is down heading into his fourth NFL season.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he wants a competitive situation at quarterback going into next season, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. O'Connell said McCarthy "is going to be a major emphasis," but "the competition in that room will only enhance the entire team." The Vikings want McCarthy to seize the starting job, but he's going to have to earn it and play better than he did in 2026, and the Vikings are fully expected to add to their QB room to push McCarthy this offseason. The 22-year-old former first-round signal-caller missed his entire rookie season in 2024 due to a knee injury that required surgery. McCarthy missed time with multiple injuries in 2025 and struggled with turnovers and efficiency when he was on the field, completing 57.6% of his pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 10 starts. Fantasy managers will want to see improvement from the Michigan product before considering him as anything more than a low-end QB2 option with upside.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison, who has a history of legal troubles since he entered the NFL, was arrested and booked into a Florida jail on Monday for probable-cause trespassing in an occupied structure, according to Joe Nelson of Sports Illustrated. Addison was released on Monday after posting a $500 cash bond. The 23-year-old pass-catcher was suspended for three games in 2025 for his 2024 DUI arrest in Los Angeles. In his third year in the NFL with the Vikings, Addison had his worst showing, catching 42 of 79 targets for a career-low 610 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 14 games played. Obviously, Addison's three-game suspension didn't help, but he was also more inconsistent every week with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy struggling with efficiency, turnovers, and injuries. It remains to be seen if he'll be facing another suspension to begin the 2026 season.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (right hand) exited during the third quarter of Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Green Bay Packers. He is officially listed as questionable to return. Given that Minnesota is eliminated from playoff contention and Green Bay is penciled into the No. 7 seed, it seems somewhat unlikely that the Vikings will put McCarthy back into the game if he's not fully healthy. For the time being, Max Brosmer has taken over at quarterback. At the time of his departure, McCarthy had completed 14 of his 23 pass attempts for 182 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero turnovers. He also had seven rushing yards. Injuries continue to be a common theme for the former first-round pick. McCarthy missed the entire 2024 season, and he played 100% of the snaps in fewer than half of the Vikings' games this year.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver (ankle) has been ruled out for the remainder of his team's Week 18 matchup against the Green Bay Packers after suffering an ankle injury. Oliver recorded two catches for 29 yards on two targets before exiting the game. The 28-year-old will finish the 2025 season with 15 catches for 160 yards and four touchdowns on 19 targets across 15 games played. Minnesota entered the game already without tight end T.J. Hockenson (shoulder), so the team is now working without its top two players at the position. Without Hockenson and Oliver, the Vikings will likely rely on tight ends Ben Yurosek and Ben Sims for the remainder of Week 18.

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason is set to be the lead back for the Week 18 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Mason is set for an increased workload with the Vikings ruling out Aaron Jones Sr. (hip) for the regular-season finale. When Jones missed time early in the season, Mason rushed for over 50 yards in each of those games with three total touchdowns. The Packers are unlikely to play their starters on defense, as their postseason seeding is already determined. Mason is primed for a strong performance, so fantasy managers should strongly consider him for DFS contests or in leagues still playing for a fantasy championship. He offers borderline RB1 value without Jones in the mix and comes in as RotoBaller's RB10 in the latest rankings for Week 18.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will return to the Vikings next season as expected, but he won't be guaranteed to be the starter, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reports. McCarthy had a disappointing sophomore season after missing his entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus. He was dropped into a highly favorable situation with an excellent play-calling head coach in Kevin O'Connell and an elite wide receiver duo in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. However, the 2024 first-round pick was one of the least efficient quarterbacks in the league, ranking last out of 36 quarterbacks (minimum 275 plays) in EPA/play (-0.134), with the highest interception rate (5.5%) and the third-highest sack percentage (10.93%). It doesn't help McCarthy's case that he was also unavailable for seven games this season because of ankle, head, and hand injuries. Minnesota was hoping for proof this season that their first-round investment is the long-term answer, but they now plan to explore established QB options via trade or free agency to compete with McCarthy.

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (shoulder) will not play in Sunday's Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Green Bay Packers, according to Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. Hockenson was unable to practice at all this week and will miss a second straight game to close out the 2025 season. The 28-year-old was highly inconsistent this year for fantasy managers as a starting tight end option, primarily because of the inconsistent play that the Vikings got out of quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Going into Week 18, Hockenson ranks as the TE23 overall in half-PPR scoring with 51 catches on 65 targets for 438 yards and only three touchdowns in 15 games played. With Hockenson out again this weekend, Josh Oliver will be the team's TE1, but he'll be a risky, touchdown-dependent TE2 streaming option for fantasy managers with McCarthy returning in Week 18.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (hip) has officially been ruled out for Week 18's regular-season finale against the Green Bay Packers, according to Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. Jones was a non-participant every day in practice this week and will end up missing his fifth game of the season after spending time on Injured Reserve earlier in the year with a hamstring injury. The 31-year-old recorded 132 carries for 548 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 28 catches (41 targets) for 199 yards and one score as a receiver in 12 games. Backfield mate Jordan Mason (ankle) was upgraded to a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday after missing last week's game against the Lions. Mason figures to handle the bulk of the carries for Minnesota's final regular-season game against the Packers, profiling as a borderline RB1.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) will start in Week 18's regular-season finale against the division-rival Green Bay Packers, according to Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. McCarthy was a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday and will return to action after missing Week 17's matchup against the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day due to a hairline fracture in his right hand. The second-year quarterback has had an up-and-down season after missing his entire rookie year with a torn meniscus. In nine games this season, the Michigan product has completed 57.3% of his passes for 1,450 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while adding 35 carries for 174 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. He'll look to finish out the season strong and profiles as a low-end QB2 option in superflex leagues in Week 18 in his return.

Through 16 games, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has had the least productive season of his career. The 26-year-old has recorded 76 receptions for 947 yards and two touchdowns on 130 targets. Inconsistent quarterback play in Minnesota has been the biggest problem for Jefferson in 2025. The Vikings may get QB1 J.J. McCarthy (hand) back from the hand injury that sidelined him in Week 17 for their Week 18 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. However, Jefferson has recorded just 19 catches for 227 yards and zero touchdowns across McCarthy's last five starts. While Jefferson remains one of the most talented pass-catchers in the NFL, the offensive environment around him in Minnesota this season makes it difficult to trust him for consistent production. Jefferson profiles as a WR3/flex option for fantasy managers in Week 18.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) upgraded to a full practice on Thursday after being limited on Wednesday. McCarthy did not play in the Christmas Day win over the Detroit Lions in Week 17 due to a hairline fracture in his right hand. However, after putting in a full practice on Thursday, the second-year signal-caller is trending towards returning to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday. McCarthy's return would send Max Brosmer back to the bench. If McCarthy is active this weekend, he'll try to end his 2025 season on a strong note after plenty of ups and downs in what was essentially his rookie campaign. At best, McCarthy should be considered a low-end QB2 option in superflex fantasy leagues if he suits up against the Packers.

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (shoulder) was held out of the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Hockenson didn't practice at all last week and was held out of the Christmas Day win over the Detroit Lions last Thursday. The Vikings have nothing left to play for but pride in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Green Bay Packers, so it seems likely that Hockenson will miss a second straight game to close out the 2025 season. The 28-year-old has had a second straight disappointing season in Minnesota, catching 51 of 66 targets for 438 yards and only three touchdowns while working with inconsistent young quarterback J.J. McCarthy. If Hockenson misses another contest, Josh Oliver will once again be in line for top pass-catching duties at TE for the Vikings with McCarthy potentially returning from a hand fracture.