Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens will start Saturday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Despite a challenging 2023 season where he went 0-3 with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions as a starter, Mullens is now firmly positioned as the No. 2 quarterback. Following him on the depth chart is second-year pro Jaren Hall. Head coach Kevin O'Connell expressed confidence in Mullens due to his solid grasp of the offense. Mullens is known for his high-risk, high-reward style and had notable success during his time with the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Vikings. Though he tends to turn the ball over, with 31 career interceptions in just 20 starts, he also boasts 34 touchdown passes. Last season, after Kirk Cousins' injury, Mullens had mixed results in five games (three starts), with a respectable 8.8 yards per attempt but eight interceptions. Mullens is a veteran with the potential to deliver strong performances, particularly if he maintains his solid rapport with star receiver Justin Jefferson.

After the news of Minnesota Vikings rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) being out for the season after undergoing season-ending knee surgery, head coach Kevin O'Connell was effusive in his praise for starting quarterback Sam Darnold. "Our football team has been and will continue to be excited about Sam Darnold and what he's been able to bring," O'Connell stated before the beginning of the team's joint practice with the Cleveland Browns. Darnold is now pressed into action for what looks to be the entirety of 2024 following the stunning injury news about the 2024 No. 10 overall pick McCarthy. While the excitement in fantasy circles for the former first-round pick Darnold is somewhat shaky, he's clearly in the best situation he's been in as a pro. Darnold is at worst a low-end streaming QB2 option in redraft leagues and a low-end QB2/high-end QB3 in superflex formats.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) was carted off the practice field on Wednesday with an apparent leg injury. After practice concluded, head coach Kevin O'Connell said it was an ankle tweak, and he's unlikely to practice on Thursday. However, he said the injury is not believed to be serious, and he thinks Addison is going to be "OK." This is a sigh of relief for the Vikings on a day it was announced that rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) would miss the entire 2024 season after undergoing surgery on his meniscus. While it doesn't appear Addison's injury will hold him out of Week 1 of the regular season, he still has a possible suspension looming stemming from a DUI charge earlier this offseason, so fantasy managers should stay tuned for that development.

Minnesota Vikings rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) will miss his entire rookie season after having successful surgery on Wednesday morning on the meniscus in his knee. The Vikings announced on Tuesday that the 21-year-old had a meniscus tear in his right knee, and apparently he needed a full repair, which will cost him all of 2024. The 12th overall pick in this year's NFL draft was fully expected to start his rookie year as the backup to Sam Darnold while the team slow-played his development, but there was still a good chance he would have seen the field this year, especially if Darnold struggled in the starting role. Now, McCarthy will rest and rehab and learn from the sidelines. He can obviously be avoided in all single-year fantasy leagues. Nick Mullens will open the regular season as Darnold's backup.

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.