- Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell (fourth season)
- PFF projected win total: 8.4
- 2024 Record: 14-3 (second in NFC North, lost in NFC wild-card round)
Biggest Strength: Offensive Supporting Cast
J.J. McCarthy is entering his first season as Minnesota’s starting quarterback, and he couldn’t ask for a better supporting cast. Including the postseason, Aaron Jones racked up more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage last season. Led by Justin Jefferson, the Vikings ranked fourth in the NFL in PFF receiving grade. The team also revamped its interior offensive line and could boast one of the NFL’s best units up front if Christian Darrisaw and Will Fries stay healthy.
Biggest Weakness: Unproven Quarterback
Despite his outstanding supporting cast, McCarthy is the biggest question mark for the Vikings this season. That’s not to say he can’t succeed, but his NFL resume consists of just a handful of preseason snaps. Head coach Kevin O’ Connell is likely to stick with the same play action-heavy approach that allowed Sam Darnold to be so efficient in 2024.
Quarterback Spotlight: J.J. McCarthy
- 2024 PFF Grade: N/A
- Key Stat: 91.7 play-action PFF passing grade across 2022 and 2023 (fourth best in FBS, minimum 100 attempts)
McCarthy logged just one game of preseason action last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He did perform very well in that game, earning an 84.0 PFF passing grade, but Minnesota is hoping his lack of experience won’t handcuff the team this season. Luckily, he understands how to play his part in an offense that emphasizes the run game and play action due to his experience at Michigan, which included a national championship victory at the end of the 2023 season.
Offensive Player: WR Justin Jefferson
Jefferson has arguably been the best wide receiver in the NFL since entering the league in 2020. His 93.6 PFF receiving grade and 2.64 PFF Wins Above Replacement over the past five seasons both lead all wide receivers. The fact that his 88.0 PFF receiving grade last season was his career low is a testament to his dominance. Few players are more easily projected to have an elite season than Jefferson.
Defensive Player: EDGE Jonathan Greenard
Greenard brought consistent pressure to opposing quarterbacks in his first season in Minnesota. Including postseason play, his 84 total pressures were the second most among edge defenders, behind Jared Verse. He was particularly outstanding in obvious passing situations, as his 90.8 PFF pass-rush grade on true pass sets ranked sixth among qualified edge defenders. Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner should give Minnesota a fearsome pass-rush trio once again this season.
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Rookie to Watch: G Donovan Jackson
Minnesota’s only top-100 selection in this year’s draft is the easy choice to be their rookie to watch. Donovan Jackson should slot in as the team’s starting left guard right away. His 2024 grading profile was dampened a bit by his time spent playing left tackle, but he still allowed just two sacks all season for Ohio State. Both of those sacks came against third overall pick Abdul Carter in Jackson’s first career game at left tackle.
Fantasy Spotlight: RB Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings
Mason quickly went from an undrafted rookie to the top backup running back for the 49ers, despite the team consistently spending mid-to-late round draft picks on running backs. An injury to Christian McCaffrey allowed Mason to be a starter to begin the 2024 season, and he ranked sixth in fantasy points per game over five weeks before he started dealing with injuries.
San Francisco traded Mason to the Minnesota Vikings, where Aaron Jones Sr. is the main running back. The two will likely be in a committee that includes Mason receiving significant work in rushing situations, while Jones gets more work in passing situations.
Jones is over 30 years old and has dealt with multiple injuries over the past two seasons. While Mason might not score enough weekly to start in fantasy in normal situations, if Jones is dealing with an injury or is showing more signs of age, Mason could become a weekly player to start.
Best Bet: WR Jordan Addison to go over 750.5 receiving yards (+100)
Over his first two NFL seasons, Addison caught a pass from five different quarterbacks. Yet, he still managed to generate more than 850 yards in each campaign. However, Addison faces a three-game suspension, which muddies his projection a bit.
Bottom Line
Kevin O’Connell’s play-calling wizardry and outstanding offensive personnel should give J.J. McCarthy a chance to succeed early in his career. Brian Flores brings similar potential with his talented defense. Despite having a first-year starting quarterback, Minnesota should be squarely in postseason contention again this season.
This news was originally published on this post .
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