Summer Series: Minnesota Vikings

By: Josh Frey-Sam

With a new quarterback presumably at the helm, the Minnesota Vikings feel much more trustworthy than they did a year ago.

There are still several burning questions, however, as it relates to how some of these players will impact fantasy football in 2026 and beyond.

To get the answers, I sat down with beat writer Matthew Coller (@MatthewColler) of the Purple Insider to talk about the Vikings’ fantasy outlook this season.

Below are key takeaways from a few questions, but if you’d like to hear everything Matthew said, listen to the audio above.

Can we trust Kyler Murray to return to an upper-echelon fantasy quarterback on the strength of his legs?

Takeaway: Murray is going to be asked to play more in-system in Kevin O’Connell’s offence to get it to one of many viable offensive weapons this year. While that might hinder his rushing upside, he should put up rather solid passing numbers. At the same time, O’Connell understands that’s one of Kyler’s strengths, so while we might see him play from the pocket more on first and second down, he is still capable of picking up a first down with his legs. Matthew said he wouldn’t be shocked to see something in the range of 3,600 passing yards and 300-500 rushing yards.

For comparison, Kyler tossed for 3,851 yards (only 21 touchdowns) and rushed for 572 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, when he finished as the QB10 overall. With a much better receiving corps at his disposal, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Kyler throw for more passing touchdowns, but a dip in rushing yards.

Still, he’s going as the QB21 in the 12th round currently on Sleeper. Kyler is certainly a strong pick at this price — even if you selected him as your second QB — but I wouldn’t be shocked to see his ADP rise in August.

What do dynasty players do with JJ McCarthy?

Takeaway: McCarthy’s future in Minnesota is still in flux and could depend on how Murray, who is still just 28 years old, shows this season. While Matthew still believes McCarthy has the talent to be a starting quarterback, he has shown that he’s a much bigger project than the Vikings had originally thought he would be.

It’s hard to say right now, but holding zero value right now, McCarthy likely doesn’t see the field this season and is a hold at best for players who believe that he could potentially be traded and break out in the coming years.

What is rookie RB Demond Claiborne’s outlook?

Takeaway: Demond has already shown — even though it’s just in a shirt and shorts — that he has rare juice when the ball is in his hands. Having said that, his size (5-10, 195 pounds), draft capital (sixth-round pick)and skill set don’t bode well for him being an early-down back in the NFL. He’s also in a backfield that has several proven veterans, a couple of whom are reliable pass-blockers, so his role is likely to be very limited this season. Of course, an injury to Aaron Jones or Jordan Mason could change his 2026 outlook, but we can’t have high expectations.

At best, he projects as the second back in a one-two punch who can deliver explosive plays on offence and special teams. Sounds like he’s a better player for real life than fantasy.

How does this backfield shake out usage-wise between Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason?

Takeaway: Jordan Mason is the clear-cut RB1 for the Vikings this season, while Aaron Jones figures to eat into his touches a bit on passing downs. Jones already showed signs of slowing down last season, so the Vikes will be careful to limit his touches this season. We could even see Zavier Scott, who is an excellent pass-protector, work into the rotation.

It’s interesting because Aaron Jones has been a late-round darling for a lot of fantasy experts in minicamp. He’s going in the eighth-ninth round currently. But Mason is going in the 11th round, and barring injury, looks like the much better value right now.

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh