Minnesota Vikings News

Quarterback Kyler Murray's dynasty stock reached an all-time low last year when he didn't play beyond Week 5 with the Arizona Cardinals due to a foot sprain. It was the beginning of the end of his time in Arizona after the Cardinals took him with the first overall pick in 2019 out of Oklahoma. Despite playing in a career-low five games and finishing as the QB38 last year, the 28-year-old's dynasty stock is surging back upwards after he was released and signed a one-year, $36.8 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings. He will take over as the starter in Minnesota over J.J. McCarthy, and although Murray hasn't played a full season in four of the last five years due to injuries, he's a rising dynasty target because of his landing spot. Murray will have arguably one of the best receiving corps to work with in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings, not to mention tight end T.J. Hockenson. Murray should be asked to push the ball more down the field, and his high-end rushing upside will give him QB1 upside if he can stay on the field. He's in the best situation of his career. There is risk, but Murray has suddenly climbed up to the QB20 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings going into 2026.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. missed five games in 2025 while struggling through hamstring, hip, and shoulder issues, but when healthy, he was still the team's preferred back on the field. He led first-year Viking Jordan Mason by nearly five offensive snaps and 12 yards from scrimmage per game. Minnesota was pegged as one of the most running back-needy teams heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, but they waited until late Day 3 to address the position, selecting Wake Forest's Demond Claiborne in the sixth round. While the 5'9", 195-pound rookie poses more of a threat to Jones than the 223-pound early down thumper Mason, the backfield is likely heading towards an even more ambiguous split. At 31 years old, Jones won't come close to approaching his former league-winning ceiling, but given his well-rounded skill set in both the run and pass games, he's still a safe bet to be the Vikings' most valuable back for fantasy. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB53, Jones is a low-cost add for contending managers seeking depth, with the understanding that, entering the final year of his current contract, he is unlikely to return value beyond 2026.

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson was a popular bounce-back candidate after his 438 receiving yards in 2025 marked the lowest total since his rookie season. With the Vikings agreeing to a one-year deal on Thursday with former 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings, Hockenson's chances of a fantasy resurgence took a meaningful hit. While operating largely in the intermediate areas of the field over the past two seasons, Jennings has caught 132 passes for 1,618 yards and 15 touchdowns. Now surrounded by Jennings, Justin Jefferson, and Jordan Addison, Hockenson is unlikely to approach the 120+ targets of his glory days, but he is one more year removed from the ACL injury that ended his 2023 season, and the presence of Kyler Murray is expected to increase scoring opportunities for the entire Vikings offense. At RotoBaller's dynasty TE22 and falling, Hockenson could still provide usable fantasy depth, making him a worthwhile buy on the inevitable post-trade dip.

With the Minnesota Vikings agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with former 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings on Thursday, 2023 first-round pick Jordan Addison is now part of arguably the deepest receiver room of his young career. With veteran Adam Thielen heading to Carolina in the same year that Addison was drafted, the stiffest competition for targets behind two-time All-Pro Justin Jefferson has long been tight end T.J. Hockenson, with Minnesota running out K.J. Osborn and Jalen Nailor in the third receiver spot since 2023. With Nailor unable to top 29 receptions or 444 receiving yards in his time with the Vikings, Jennings represents a major upgrade, fresh off a 643-yard, nine-touchdown campaign, and only two years removed from career-highs of 77 receptions and 975 yards in 2024. Addison's receptions, yards, and touchdowns have all dropped year-over-year since entering the league, but with the team opting to pick up his fifth-year option in March, there is a clear belief that he can turn things back around. With improved quarterback play expected in 2026, Addison still has the home run ability to take over games, and he should enjoy enough spike weeks to make him a reliable fantasy asset despite the increased competition.

Wide receiver Jauan Jennings and the Minnesota Vikings have agreed to a one-year deal that will pay the former 49er up to $13 million in 2026. While missing two games in his final season with San Francisco, the 2020 seventh-round pick out of Tennessee recorded 643 yards and nine touchdowns, this after making a career-high 77 receptions for 975 yards in 2024. With Jennings reportedly expecting a more robust market for his services, the one-year prove-it deal will allow him to test free agency again in 2027. Meanwhile, after the team's third receiver, Jalen Nailor, agreed to a three-year, $35 million deal with the Raiders, the Vikings have arguably upgraded the position at a fraction of the cost. Jennings will round out a receiver room of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and 2025 third-round pick Tai Felton, creating an environment in which quarterback Kyler Murray could thrive while on a one-year deal of his own.

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson turned in a disappointing season in 2025, recording 51 receptions for 438 yards and three touchdowns on 66 targets across 15 games. Like the rest of Minnesota's pass-catchers, Hockenson's numbers were impacted by a Vikings' offense that received subpar play at the quarterback position from the underwhelming combination of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Minnesota added veteran signal-caller Kyler Murray over the offseason, and Murray should help stabilize the team's passing game in 2026. Still, Hockenson has now recorded just 893 receiving yards and three touchdowns across 25 games over the past two seasons. Since tearing his ACL late in the 2023 season, the soon-to-be 29-year-old has struggled to regain his peak form. While the upgraded quarterback play in Minnesota certainly improves Hockenson's outlook for 2026, his overall dynasty value is fading as he enters his eighth NFL season.

Following the trade that sent running back Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the 2025 season, the fourth-year back was pegged as a popular breakout candidate, rising all the way to RB24 in consensus dynasty rankings. By most metrics, Mason's first year in Minnesota was a disappointment. Even with Aaron Jones Sr. missing significant time, Mason was held to only 758 rushing yards and six touchdowns while the entirety of the Vikings' offense was held back by listless quarterback play. The Vikings have found at least a short-term fix at quarterback, bringing in Kyler Murray on a one-year deal, and while Minnesota was labeled as one of the more running back-needy teams entering the 2026 NFL Draft, the team waited until the sixth round of a weak class to address the position, selecting Demond Claiborne out of Wake Forest. At 5'9" and 195 pounds, Claiborne poses little threat to Mason's between-the-tackles early-down work. With both Mason and Jones in the final year of their contracts, the importance of the 2026 season for Mason's long-term dynasty value can not be overstated. He enters the season as RotoBaller's RB50, but that ranking could climb if Minnesota's offense can shake off a forgettable 2025 campaign.

Free-agent wide receiver Jauan Jennings is visiting with the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday night and Wednesday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The 49ers moved on from Jennings after not finding common ground for a long-term extension. The 28-year-old's market has been ice-cold this offseason after he caught 55 passes for 643 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns in 15 regular-season starts in his fifth year in the NFL. Jennings has 15 touchdown receptions in the last two years and also set career-highs in catches (77) and receiving yards (975) in 15 games for the 49ers in 2024. The former seventh-rounder's high-point mark easily could have been the 2024 season. His production soared the last two seasons, with both Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Ricky Pearsall missing extended time with injuries in the Bay Area. If Jennings were to land in Minnesota, his fantasy ceiling would be much lower behind both Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

The Minnesota Vikings have selected Wake Forest running back prospect Demond Claiborne with the 198th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Vikings traded up to select Claiborne, acquiring the 198th pick from the New England Patriots in exchange for the 234th pick and a 2027 sixth-round selection. A multi-year contributor in the ACC, Claiborne tallied 1,956 rushing yards, 394 receiving yards, and 23 touchdowns over his last two seasons at school. With Aaron Jones Sr. presumably getting closer to his retirement, adding a young, depth running back makes sense for the Vikings. Claiborne and Zavier Scott will presumably compete to be active as the Vikings' No. 3 running back behind Jones and Jordan Mason in 2026.

The Minnesota Vikings have selected Michigan fullback/tight end prospect Max Bredeson with the 159th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Bredeson will mostly operate as a blocker and special teams contributor for the Vikings. He had zero carries and 12 receptions across five seasons at school, but PFF gave him an 85.2 grade in run blocking and a 78.1 grade in pass blocking last year. He'll be tasked with creating opportunities for players like Kyler Murray, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason, but he won't accrue much fantasy value himself. Bredeson can be avoided in all fantasy drafts.

The Minnesota Vikings took University of Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks (foot) with the 18th overall selection in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft on Thursday night. Banks stands at a hulking 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, but he can do things on a football field that aren't typically associated with interior defensive linemen. Banks impressed with a 5.04-second 40-yard dash and 114-inch broad jump at the NFL scouting combine. The 23-year-old defensive tackle had a total of 6.5 sacks in his five collegiate seasons (his first two came at Louisville). A fractured foot that Banks suffered at the combine in February isn't expected to affect his availability for the start of his rookie season in the NFL. Banks had recurring foot injuries during his final collegiate season, which limited him to just three games played. The Vikings chose to overlook his foot issues in favor of his elite physical traits. If healthy, Banks could be a massive interior-line asset for the Vikes as a run-stopper and pocket pusher.

Former University of Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks (foot) is currently recovering from a surgically repaired bone in his left foot, but NFL teams received a letter on Wednesday that states that Banks underwent a CT scan on Tuesday and is "on pace to be fully cleared for full football activities in early June," sources told Pete Thamel of ESPN. Banks had surgery on a fractured fourth metatarsal of his left foot on March 9. A strong performance at the Senior Bowl in January bolstered Banks' 2026 draft stock, but his draft stock is now in question after he fractured his foot during the NFL scouting combine in late February. He was considered one of the top defensive tackle prospects in this year's draft class, but there are more questions after he played in only three games in 2025 at Florida due to an injury to the same foot. The 6-foot-6, 327-pounder had 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles in 2024 as a dominant interior defensive lineman in the SEC.

Florida defensive tackle prospect Caleb Banks (foot) should be able to resume football activities within the next six to eight weeks. According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Banks' doctor sent a letter to NFL teams that said the draft prospect underwent a CT scan on Tuesday and is on pace to be fully cleared by early June. The 23-year-old is working his way back from a broken bone in his foot that he suffered during the NFL Combine. Banks was once a projected first-round pick, with aggregate mock draft data from NFLMockDraftDatabase.com ranking him as this year's #22 overall prospect. However, since the injury, he has fallen to #41 overall and is now a projected Day 2 selection. The rehab timeline provided by Banks' doctor still puts him on track to play in Week 1 of his rookie season. Depending on the landing spot, he projects best as a long-term impact player who can be an immediate rotational depth piece on the defensive line.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is coming off the worst season of his six-year career. He hit single-season yardage and touchdown lows, while his 4.9 receptions per game were approximately a catch and a half below his career average. And yet, Jefferson is still RotoBaller's dynasty WR4, largely because his 2025 struggles can be almost entirely explained away by some of the worst quarterback play in the league. Vikings quarterbacks threw for 3,176 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions in 2025, bottom-four numbers across the board. While Minnesota may not have found a long-term solution at the position, they've at least brought in a Band-Aid for 2026, signing Cardinals castoff Kyler Murray to a one-year deal at the start of free agency. While Murray has had his own struggles of late, he can stand on a proven record of supporting a true number one receiver, peppering DeAndre Hopkins with over 150 targets in their first season together, en route to a WR7 finish in 2020. Even if a clear path out of the darkness wasn't evident at the time, Jefferson was one of the smartest buy-lows of the 2025 season, and at just 26 years old, his cost to acquire may still be suppressed enough to make him a worthwhile buy before the new season starts and he reminds the league of what he's capable.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has had a tumultuous start to his NFL career. While Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix, fellow quarterbacks taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, have all seen their dynasty stock rise tremendously through their first two years in the league, McCarthy's has been in free fall. After missing the entire 2024 season with a torn meniscus sustained in the preseason, McCarthy struggled mightily in what was essentially a redshirt rookie season, throwing for 163.2 yards per game while tossing 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, all the while dealing with nagging injuries and rumors of a soft benching. Heading into his third season, the Vikings have brought in former Cardinal Kyler Murray on a one-year deal. While Murray has faced his own on-field struggles of late, the presumption is that he should have the inside track to Minnesota's starting job in 2026, and after peaking as high as QB12 before ever taking a regular-season snap, McCarthy has fallen to RotoBaller's dynasty QB28. While things currently look bleak for his NFL future, it's important to remember that McCarthy is only 23 and has made just 10 professional starts. With Murray's deal only tying him to the Vikings for one season, a lot can happen between now and the point when Minnesota will need to make a decision on McCarthy's fifth-year option. Depending on just how low his stock dips, he could still be a worthwhile dart-throw acquisition for rebuilding dynasty managers.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison has the talent to produce as a fringe top-24 fantasy receiver every week, but quarterback issues have plagued his fantasy value recently. After opening his career with back-to-back top-24 finishes in PPR leagues, Addison dropped to WR45 in 2025. Sure, he did miss three games due to a suspension, but his average of 9.7 fantasy points per game was still a career low. The USC product suffered from playing with a combination of J.J. McCarthy, Max Brosmer, and Carson Wentz. Those quarterbacks struggled to support fantasy relevance for Justin Jefferson, let alone both Jefferson and Addison. As a result, there's some concern about Addison's outlook in dynasty leagues. The Vikings have control of McCarthy for three more years, and they also signed Kyler Murray, who played so poorly in Arizona that the Cardinals released him from his $230.5 million extension. We never saw Murray support multiple fantasy-relevant receivers at once, and so far, McCarthy has struggled to do the same. As a result, managers should temper expectations for Addison. He's not an appealing dynasty trade target at the moment.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray remains somewhat of an unknown commodity in dynasty leagues following his offseason change of scenery. After being released by the Cardinals, Murray signed a one-year deal with the Vikings to compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback role. So far, it has been hard to gain much insight into the quarterback competition. On one hand, McCarthy is the incumbent starter. On the other hand, the Vikings actively went out and signed Murray, so we know that Kevin O'Connell has confidence in starting him if needed. McCarthy is coming off an ugly season in Minnesota, but the same can be said of Murray in Arizona. We may be looking at a lesser of two evils situation here, as both quarterbacks are grasping for the opportunity to start meaningful football games. Murray made five starts before missing the rest of the 2025 season due to injury. The former No. 1 pick finished last year with 962 passing yards, 173 rushing yards, seven total touchdowns, and four total turnovers. He was the QB17 in fantasy football from Week 1-5, so he'd likely rank in a similar range if named the Vikings' starter. Having Justin Jefferson would boost his fantasy value, but more importantly, his output would hinge on his ability to stay mobile and rush for yards. Given that Murray was quite literally cut loose during the middle of a $230.5 contract, it's safe to say that his football outlook is approaching rock bottom. As a result, he can be acquired in dynasty leagues at a very minimal cost. Quarterback-needy dynasty managers should entertain the idea of acquiring Murray. If it doesn't pan out, then you've lost a late-round rookie pick, or the equivalent; no big deal. If it does pan out, you're left with a multi-year fantasy starter, and it only cost you a negligible pick.

After topping 1,500 scrimmage yards in 2024, Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. struggled through a down year in 2025. The 31-year-old missed five games due to injury and finished the year with just 747 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 160 touches. While Jones Sr. was still Minnesota's nominal starter in the games he was healthy for, the team largely split carries between him and Jordan Mason. At this point in their respective careers, Mason profiles as a more reliable short-yardage back, which could leave Jones Sr. limited to third-down and pass-catching duties. Jones Sr.'s production should benefit from the Vikings' offense having more overall stability in 2026 after the signing of veteran quarterback Kyler Murray. Still, Jones Sr.'s dynasty value is firmly trending in the wrong direction, given his age and the split backfield in Minnesota.

After finishing as the TE5 or better in three of four seasons from 2020 through 2023, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson has seen a steep decline in production, with his 5.8 fantasy points per game in 2025 the lowest output since his rookie season. Perhaps reassuringly, all of Minnesota's pass catchers shared a similar story in 2025, hampered by some of the worst quarterback play in the league, with J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer combining to throw only 17 touchdown passes on fewer than 3,200 yards. The Vikings have since signed Kyler Murray to a one-year deal, and his past affinity for involving his tight ends has contributed to four combined top-10 seasons from Zach Ertz and Trey McBride. The soon-to-be-29-year-old Hockenson avoided an influx of target competition when Minnesota opted to stand pat at the position in free agency. If he can survive what looks to be a deep tight end draft class, a later career resurgence isn't out of the question with him still slated to be a primary target-earner behind only Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason is an intriguing target in dynasty leagues this offseason. The Vikings did bring back Aaron Jones on a restructured deal, indicating that the veteran will remain a part of their backfield in 2026. However, he won't be any more involved than last year, and we wouldn't be surprised if he takes a backseat to Mason early in the season. Mason certainly has the ability to handle lead-back duties. In the five weeks that Jones missed last year, Mason averaged 14.8 carries, 75.2 rushing yards, 1.2 catches, 3.8 receiving yards, and 0.8 touchdowns per game. That comes out to an average of 13.9 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues. Extrapolated over a 17-game season, that would have ranked 18th-highest among running backs. Sure, we don't think he'll have an every-down role for 17 games, especially with Jones healthy. Still, he has high-end RB3 appeal with legitimate RB2 upside in 2026 and beyond. At a modest age of 26 years old, and with Jones presumably retiring in the next couple of years, Mason is a worthwhile dynasty target in offseason trades. He ranks as the RB54 in dynasty rankings at the moment, which means the market is still allowing managers to acquire him at a discounted price.