Minnesota Vikings

With Minnesota Vikings rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) scheduled to under knee surgery, Sam Darnold is now squarely in line to be the team's opening-day starting QB in Week 1 against the New York Giants. Even if McCarthy was fully healthy, Darnold was expected to open as Minnesota's starting signal-caller, but the 27-year-old former first-rounder should have a longer leash now, especially if McCarthy needs a full meniscus repair. Darnold has been handling most of the first-team reps in training camp, and now he'll get even more with McCarthy sidelined. Fantasy managers aren't going to be expecting much from Darnold after he was a bust with the New York Jets, but he could pass as a serviceable low-end QB2 in superflex leagues with the best supporting cast on offense he's ever had in his career.

Minnesota Vikings rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) missed training camp practice on Monday with knee soreness, and tests revealed a meniscus issue that will require surgery. As with most meniscus surgeries, there will be a determination made during the procedure to either trip or repair. A trim would mean out for only a few weeks, but a full repair would mean many months on the sidelines. Regardless of which outcome it is for the 21-year-old 12th overall pick in this year's draft, he will not be opening his rookie campaign as Minnesota's starting QB. Instead, that designation will fall to former first-rounder Sam Darnold, who opened training camp listed as the QB1 on the unofficial depth chart. The Vikings hope McCarthy is their future franchise signal-caller, but they were already slow-playing his development, and this injury will push back his timetable.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced that rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) is dealing with knee soreness and won't take part in Monday night's training camp practice. The Vikings are likely just being overly cautious here with who they hope will be their QB of the future. The 21-year-old Michigan product made his NFL debut in Saturday's preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders and went 11-for-17 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. McCarthy got off to a bad start but eventually settled in against backup defenders. Hopefully, his knee injury doesn't cause him to miss too much practice time, but either way, former first-rounder Sam Darnold is fully expected to open the year as Minnesota's starter as they slow-play the development of McCarthy.

Based on conversations ESPN's Dan Graziano had with Minnesota Vikings officials, he expects the team to try to get running back Aaron Jones 15 to 18 touches per game and use Ty Chandler as a 1B to Jones' 1A. It's possible some weeks will call for Jones to see upwards of 20 touches, but the Vikings have watched him closely for years and think he has always been at his best when he has had a complementary back such as Jamaal Williams or AJ Dillon. With that said, Jones will offer a more explosive element in the running game than Alexander Mattison did last year, and Minnesota believes the 29-year-old still has plenty left in the tank to be their lead back in 2024. But he's right around the age where RBs start to break down, so the Vikes will be careful with his workload, which makes him more of a low-end RB2 target in his first year in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Vikings anticipate a suspension coming at some point for wide receiver Jordan Addison, who faces drunken-driving charges in California after his arrest there last month. But due to the speed with which these matters move at the league office, the Vikings believe that any suspension would come either late this season or during the 2025 offseason. There was some concern that an Addison suspension could overlap with the early part of the season when they'll be without tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee), but that doesn't seem likely. Fantasy managers considering taking Addison in upcoming drafts will want to be prepared to lose him at perhaps the most important time later in the year, but they can rest easy knowing he shouldn't be suspended early in 2024, and perhaps maybe not at all in his second NFL campaign.