Free agency is over, and so is the 2026 NFL Draft. This year's version of the Minnesota Vikings is beginning to take shape, and as the final form continues to incubate, certain expectations and hopes about various players begin to emerge.
It's fun to project different lines for players to hit, and those players could definitely achieve that. Some players will probably have less of an impact than in years prior due to a new face jumping them on the depth chart.
There are also those who could come out of nowhere and shock the team and the NFL world in general. The Vikings have had recent examples of this with Sam Darnold from 2024 and Eric Wilson from last year.
It's always fun to see players come out of nowhere to play at a very high level, and here are four who could do it this year for the Vikings.
4 Minnesota Vikings who could become big surprises in 2026
Demond Claiborne - RB
There's plenty of excitement surrounding Vikings' sixth-round rookie Demond Claiborne. He's a home run waiting to happen with his burst and top-end speed. Claiborne's an excellent receiver out of the backfield and gives the Vikings something they haven't had at the position in years.
There's no question he's buried on the depth chart behind Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, but even so, the Vikings would be wise to give him a handful of carries a game for that big-play ability alone.
While his impact as a rookie is likely to be minimal, there's a chance it's actually much more substantial. The thing about Jones and Mason is that they've both proven to be injury-prone.
At some point this season, it's not crazy to think both of these could be out with injuries. That would open the door for Claiborne to be RB1, and it would shock the world if he didn't let go of it.
There are plenty of players in league history who were late-round picks or undrafted guys who became their team's primary back in their first season, and Claiborne could be the next one.
He's a dual-threat guy who wouldn't need to come off the field, and if he has a solid stretch of games while Jones and Mason are on the shelf, there's no reason Kevin O'Connell should give the job back to the veterans.
Jay Ward - S
The Vikings' safety depth chart is a bit of a curious one this year. Harrison Smith is likely retired, and with Josh Metellus healthy, he could go back to his versatile role of basically playing every single position on defense.
Someone has to step up and be the man, and it could be Jay Ward.
Ward looked nowhere near ready to contribute early in his career. He was relegated to a special teamer and one that often drew penalties for doing inane things like being offside on a field goal attempt.
Last year, things began to change.
Later in the season, Ward started seeing an increase in defensive snaps and actually played pretty well. He was tight in coverage and was a willing and solid tackler.
He looked better than Theo Jackson, and now his main competition might come from third-round rookie Jakobe Thomas.
It'll be an interesting battle to watch in camp, and while it wouldn't be shocking to see Ward win it, if he ran with it and played well, that sure would be.
If Ward put up 80-plus tackles, four interceptions, and a couple of sacks, that would be huge for the Vikings' defense and so shocking that he would begin to earn league-wide recognition.
T.J. Hockenson - TE
T.J. Hockenson has become the forgotten man on the Vikings' offense. The team brought in Kyler Murray and Juaun Jennings, and the talk has been about what those two can do when added to the elite combination that is Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Amid all that buzz and excitement of the wide receiver trio, no one is talking about TJ Hockenson, and he could be sitting on the best year of his career.
Hockenson is coming off one of his worst seasons. He was primarily used as a blocker, and when the ball was delivered his way by the substandard quarterbacks, he often wasn't able to secure it.
This offseason, he was also asked to restructure his contract, which allowed him to be a free agent at season's end. Hockenson now has the motivation to earn one more big NFL paycheck and has a lot riding on this season's production.
Hockenson should see plenty of opportunities come his way. Teams will be focused on stopping Jefferson, Addison, and Jennings, and that should free up Hockenson to feast underneath or down the seam.
He's also likely to have a quarterback in Kyler Murray who loves utilizing his tight ends, so a plethora of targets should be coming his way.
Hockenson's best season was in 2023 when he hauled in 95 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns. He has a great chance to meet or match those numbers, and if he did, that would be shocking to many.
J.J. McCarthy - QB
This would be the most shocking of everyone mentioned in this article.
While it's been reported that the Vikings are expecting a true competition between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray for the starting job, most assume and expect it's going to be Murray who will win the job.
But what if it's not?
How shocking would it be if McCarthy beats out the veteran?
And what if he doesn't just beat him out, but actually plays at a high level all season long?
That would shock the pants off everyone in the entire league.
While it's unlikely, it's not impossible.
McCarthy was placed in an impossible situation a season ago. He was anointed the starter with no competition after missing his rookie year with a knee injury.
He missed a ton of reps and was thrust into action whether he was truly ready or not. Not surprisingly, he struggled but did show glimpses of potential.
McCarthy knows it's basically do or die right now for his NFL career. If he gets beat out by Kyler Murray and Murray ends up playing well, McCarthy's time in Minnesota will be over.
He has all the motivation to go out and shock the world by winning the job and not letting go of it.
If he accomplishes this improbable task, it will be the most shocking thing that's happened to the Vikings in a long time.
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