4 Vikings who could lose their starting job to a rookie in 2023

Player No. 1

K.J. Osborn - WR

We will start with the most obvious option, wide receiver K.J. Osborn. When the Vikings drafted Jordan Addison in the first round, head coach Kevin O'Connell was on film saying over and over again how he's a day one starter.

That should've been taken as a challenge to Osborn, who at the time was slotted to be the Vikings' No. 2 wide receiver opposite Justin Jefferson. When Adam Thielen was cut last March, that pushed Osborn to become the de facto No. 2 wide receiver, thus making him a starter.

As seen early in OTAs and mini-camp, Osborn isn't just giving up his job to the rookie. He has been performing lights out, making plays all over the field. He's also taken on a leadership role helping many of the young receivers on the Vikings roster pick up the offense and help them acclimate to the NFL game.

Addison, on the other hand, has missed time due to injury, and the team is hoping he's ready for training camp this July. There's no doubt that Addison is the future at the position, but Osborn won't be going down without a fight. This camp battle will make the team better in the long run, but at some point, Addison will become the starter opposite Jefferson.