The Minnesota Vikings' offensive woes proved to be their downfall in 2025. They didn't come close to meeting the lofty expectations bestowed upon them, to say the least, as fantasy football managers learned the hard way.
Anyone who took the plunge on the Vikings last summer was burned. Drafting any of their skill players came at a steep cost — and none of them returned value on investment.
Let's not beat around the bush here. It's no secret that Minnesota's poor quarterback play was their Achilles heel this past season. 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy's well-chronicled shortcomings and the club's carousel at the most important position in football were too much for anyone to overcome.
Justin Jefferson was a consensus top-three wide receiver and first-round selection before barely finishing as a WR3 in average scoring in point-per-reception (PPR) formats. Neither running back, Aaron Jones nor Jordan Mason, ever separated from each other or emerged as a viable option despite being priced as such. And don't even get us started on veteran tight end T.J. Hockenson.
Enter two-time signal-caller Kyler Murray, whom the Vikings acquired via free agency this offseason. He figures to take the reins in what is a pivotal campaign for all parties involved, though McCarthy will be given a chance to compete. How their duel shakes out will undoubtedly have massive ramifications on Jefferson, Mason, Jones, Hockenson, and wideout Jordan Addison's respective 2026 outlooks.
Training camp and the preseason will be telling. There will be no shortage of information once the pads come on; that's for sure. It can be a lot to keep up with, so stay tuned and let this be a personal handbook.
Note: This story will be updated regularly throughout the Minnesota Vikings' training camp and preseason.
Latest Fantasy Football updates for the Vikings: News, injuries and position battles
Kyler Murray named starting quaterback -- 8/11
ESPN's Adam Schefter revealed that the Vikings named QB1. With the competition put to rest, the remaining weeks of camp will be about building connections in this new-look offense.
Demond Claiborne's speed is evident -- 8/9
Will Ragatz of Bring Me The Sports reported that Claiborne took a handoff and exploded down the left side. He made a jump cut and was virtually untouched, which would have resulted in a long touchdown run.
Aaron Jones thinks Demond Claiborne has tools to be "special" -- 8/9
When speaking to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jones expressed that he's a believer in Claiborne. He pointed out his speed and ability to get in and out of cuts. The veteran plans to mentor Clairborne was much as he can, but he's a fan of the rookie tailback's skill set.
Kyler Murray is the "favorite" to win starting job -- 8/7
ESPN's Kevin Seifert reported that Murray has played with the starters for about two-thirds of the snaps, as J.J. McCarthy played mostly with the second team. Even though Murray has been up and down, the gap between him and McCarthy remains significant.
Tai Felton could be a real contributor in the offense -- 8/6
Tyler Forness of AtoZSports reported that Felton has shown promise this summer. He's been able to create separation, stack corners, and take his play to another level. Although he barely played as a rookie, what he's brought to the table is making his case to be a real contributor.
Demond Claiborne is starting to turn some heads -- 8/5
Claiborne is healthy after missing some time with a minor injury, but he already looks good. Will Ragatz of Bring Me The Sports reported that Claiborne scored a touchdown in the red zone period and even caught some passes. Vikings OC Wes Phillips believes the rookie looked like "a much more comfortable player even in the first few days here, coming into camp.”
Jordan Addison dealing with injury -- 8/5
Head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed that Addison jammed his thumb the practice on the 4th. He did individual drills on Wednesday but didn't catch any passes. Although it's not considered to be serious, he could miss some practices.
Kyler Murray has uneven session -- 8/4
Per Zulgad, Murray completed three of his four passes in the team session before having some troubles. Inside the red zone, Murray was 3-of-6 with misses to Jeshaun Jones, Jauan Jennings, and Tai Felton. During a 2nd and 10 drill, Murray was 2-of-5.
J.J. McCarthy had some trouble in practice -- 8/4
Per Judd Zulgad of Skornorth.com, McCarthy had a bad session in the red zone. With no defenders covering receivers, McCarthy had three straight incompletions. He then went 2-of-4 in the team period, connecting with Jordan Mason and Josh Oliver before missing Myles Price and Jordan Mims.
Kyler Murray passed the ball with rhythm -- 8/2
Murray was seen hitting multiple pass catchers on time and with an accurate ball. He played with rhythm and confidence, connecting with Justin Jefferson, Myles Price, T.J. Hockenson, and Zavier Scott. He threw multiple touchdowns, and his rapport with Jefferson seems to be growing.
The Athletic's Alec Lewis reveals Kyler Murray takes 'hefty amount' of starter reps -- 7/30
Murray was the primary option on Day 2 over J.J McCarthy. It's an interesting and noteworthy development, considering head coach Kevin O'Connell recently suggested a 50-50 work split, at least early on.
Both guys will get their time in the sun. We anticipate the pendulum to continue swinging back and forth until a starter is named.
Myles Price continues to make noise in camp -- 7/30
"The coaching staff appears willing to give him opportunities, and consecutive positive practices have started to put him on the radar as a receiver worth monitoring," Matthew Coller of Purple Insider reported.
He might be buried on the depth chart behind the top three guys, but Price is shining when given the opportunities. Knowing Jauan Jennings is quite unpredictable and on a 1-year deal, Price's value in dynasty leagues is absolutely worth keeping an eye on.
Jordan Addison is turning heads early -- 7/30
Addison was "one of the most impressive pass catchers on the field" during the Vikings' initial camp practice, again per Coller of Purple Insider. Coller noted that Addison connected from both Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. It didn't matter who was throwing him the ball. He was a standout on Day 1.
For fantasy owners wondering if we will ever see a consistent Jordan Addison, for a full season, training camp surely got off to a great start in that respect.
Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones both making their presence felt -- 7/30
For folks wanting to know which Vikings running back to draft, the two of them aren't making it easy. Vikings beat reporter Rob Kleifield reported Mason caught a short pass and then caused a ruckus.
"Mason, better known for his bruising than his finesse, evaded safety Joshua Metellus, one of the team's soundest tacklers, with a well-timed change of direction. A good-natured and rip-roaring scene followed."
As for Jones, he also caught a short pass and, after being "tagged by two defenders," he took off for nearly another 30 yards.
Actionable Vikings fantasy takeaways
Murray should slot into the top spot on the depth chart, but it's best to exercise caution until/if he officially does. His presence alone would make Jefferson and Co. much safer bets.
Jones took a pay cut to stick around, signaling that he was dispensable. His expendability, age and injury history also lend themselves to the idea of him settling into more of a backup/change-of-pace role.
Sleepers, dynasty names and under-the-radar Vikings players to know
Don't overlook sixth-round rookie running back Demond Claiborne. He turned heads at minicamp and has fans within the Vikings' organization.
Undrafted rookie wide receiver Dillon Bell is also a name to watch. He was tabbed the "biggest surprise" of Minnesota's workout program through the spring.
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