Team Profile
Minnesota Vikings
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2.9% 15thOff DVOA
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24.7% 12thPassing DVOA
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-9.6% 19thRushing DVOA
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-15.4% 2ndDef DVOA
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-12.8% 1stDef Passing DVOA
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-20.2% 5thDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For25.4 10th
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Points Against19.5 4th
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Yards Per Game347.0 12th
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Yards Allowed Per Game336.0 16th
According to a report from the Los Angeles Daily News, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was arrested on Friday night for suspicion of DUI. Police were notified and responded to an area near LAX, where Addison was reportedly found asleep at the wheel and blocking several lanes. He was taken into custody and released a few hours later. The 2023 No. 23 overall pick finished his first year in the NFL by amassing 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns. While it's unknown if Addison will face any discipline from the NFL or team, his fantasy stock could take a hit from managers unwilling to draft him in fear of a possible suspension.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was recently praised by fellow teammate Blake Cashman. Cashman, a linebacker, recently joined Minnesota this offseason and has been around several young quarterbacks. He began his career in the Big Apple with Zach Wilson and played with former second-overall pick C.J. Stroud last season. The 28-year-old defender said on the Jim Rome Show that McCarthy "Is 21 years old, but a great young man. He's a leader and he's eager to learn." This is great to see McCarthy's leadership translate quite well and quickly to the NFL as he led the Michigan Wolverines to two consecutive playoff appearances, including a national championship this past season. Cashman further expressed how well the young quarterback has thrown the ball in minicamps. Even though the 21-year-old is reportedly not starting in Week 1, according to Alec Lewis of the Athletic, it is great to see his veteran teammates express their excitement and support for him. McCarthy was a popular first-round selection in rookie drafts this past spring and remains a coveted asset in dynasty leagues.
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has not lived up to his status as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Although he has a playoff win under his belt from the 2022 campaign, the rest of his career has been underwhelming. The Duke alum has thrown for 12,512 yards, 62 touchdowns, and 42 interceptions in his first 60 games and has lost 24 fumbles in his career. On the premiere episode of "Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants", general manager Joe Schoen said "This is the year for Daniel. Plan all along was [to] give him a couple years. Is he our guy for the next 10 years? Or do we need to pivot and find somebody else?" After a disastrous 2023 campaign that ended with Jones suffering a torn ACL, the idea that 2024 would be a "make-or-break" season for him was already in the minds of football fans. However, Schoen confirmed it. The 27-year-old will either sink or swim this season, and his dynasty-league value for fantasy football could see an uptick or crater to nearly zero. His pass-catching group of Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt, Wan'Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Daniel Bellinger, and Theo Johnson isn't pretty on paper, but he could be playing behind the best offensive line of his career heading into a pivotal season.
The Athletic's Alec Lewis writes that Minnesota Vikings first-round rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy definitely won't be starting in Week 1 of the 2024 regular season, and he probably won't start in the first quarter of the season. There's even a scenario in which he shouldn't be expected to start at all this year, depending on how Sam Darnold fares. It's not a referendum on McCarthy's talent or his minicamp performance, but rather the team's long-term developmental plan for him. If Darnold, a former first-rounder himself, is dominating and winning in his first year in Minnesota, it will make it easy for the coaching staff to keep McCarthy on the sidelines while he learns. But if Darnold is struggling and the team isn't competitive, it will be hard for head coach Kevin O'Connell to quiet the noise for McCarthy. The bottom line is that McCarthy should be avoided in redraft fantasy leagues.
Minnesota Vikings second-year wide receiver Jordan Addison produced one of the most notable springs of any Vikings player during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp this offseason, taking full advantage of his first NFL offseason to set himself up for an even better year after impressing as a rookie in 2023. Addison was hurt and missed most of the team's spring workouts last year after he was the 23rd overall pick in the draft. Still, he was one of four players in modern NFL history to record at least 70 receptions, 900 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie campaign. He showed a natural instinct for getting open and developed a reputation for making tough catches as well. Addison has a bright future, but fantasy managers in 2024 may want to temper expectations a bit now that quarterback Kirk Cousins is gone. He's a fine WR4/flex target but could be a bit more inconsistent with Sam Darnold throwing him the pigskin.