Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) is set to make his preseason debut this year against the Houston Texans on Saturday. Jones was likely to play in this game all along after sitting out last week's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, but now it's official. The 27-year-old suffered an ACL tear in his knee last year and had surgery in November, but he was fully cleared for the start of training camp and is fully expected to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. Jones probably won't get more than a series or two on Saturday, with Tommy Devito expected to play most of the game due to Drew Lock's (hip) injury. Jones, a former first-round pick, is entering a make-or-break year with the G-Men. The addition of first-round rookie receiver Malik Nabers should help, but until further notice, Jones should be considered a low-end QB2 option in fantasy.

Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) was officially placed on the season-ending injured reserve on Friday afternoon. In a corresponding move, the Vikings signed quarterback Matt Corral, who will compete for the No. 3 job. McCarthy missed practice earlier this week as he was dealing with knee soreness but eventually underwent an MRI, which showed a tear in his meniscus. The Michigan product underwent knee surgery on Wednesday and will now focus on recovering for the 2025 season. This is a tough blow for the former national champion, who looked quite sharp in the pro debut on Saturday as he went 11-for-17 with 188 passing yards and two scores. Fantasy managers should expect Sam Darnold to serve as the starting quarterback in Minnesota this season, with Nick Mullens slotted as the No. 2.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) appears to have avoided a serious injury after exiting Wednesday's training camp practice. It has been an awful couple of days for the Vikings organization. However, there is somewhat good news regarding the status of Addison. Head coach Kevin O'Connell says that Addison has avoided a major ankle injury. That should give fans a sigh of relief after Addison was carted off the field on Wednesday. The team should give more information soon, but it sounds like Addison isn't going to miss a lengthy period of time.

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.