Nick Mullens's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

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.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens put on a show in the Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday by going 30-for-44 for 396 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked four times for a loss of 37 yards and ran twice for eight yards. Mullens ended up being Minnesota's best option under center down the stretch after Kirk Cousins suffered a torn Achilles, and the 28-year-old QB finished with a 67.57% completion percentage, 1,306 passing yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions in five appearances (three starts). He had 300 yards and multiple touchdowns in all three of his starts, although turnovers were clearly an issue. With Cousins' future in doubt in Minnesota, Mullens' late-season performance could at least put him in consideration for the starting job in 2024 if the Vikes move on from Cousins this offseason.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens will make his third start over the last four weeks when he returns under center against the Detroit Lions in Week 18. Outside of Jaren Hall's ugly first half last week, Mullens has been Minnesota's go-to quarterback for the final four games of the regular season. He has a tendency to air the ball out and take risks, and while this has led to several turnovers, it also allows the Vikings to deliver big plays and score touchdowns. In Week 16 against the Lions, Mullens tossed two touchdowns and four interceptions, all while amassing 411 passing yards. From a fantasy perspective, the scores and yardage outweigh the poor ball security. The same could be true in this season-ending rematch with the Lions, whose defense has allowed the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2023. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable deploying him as a fringe QB1 option this week.