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2025 Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Preview

Minnesota Vikings

2025 Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Preview The Vikings had a tremendous 2024 season, far exceeding expectations. But after an early playoff exit, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah aggressively spent to reinforce a roster that won 14 games. Head coach Kevin O’Connell retained coordinators, Brian Flores and Wes Phillips, maintaining a quarterback-friendly offense and a blitz-heavy defense (48.7% blitz rate, 1st in NFL). Key departures like Sam Darnold and Danielle Hunter were offset by signing Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, and re-signing Aaron Jones, while drafting five players to address trenches and skill positions. Momentum is strong, with J.J. McCarthy’s recovery (no limitations post-meniscus tear) and a top-5 offense (PFF grade: 88.2). In three seasons with Minnesota, Kevin O’Connell’s offense has ranked 6th, 5th, and 6th in passing. O’Connell coaxed a 4,319-yard, 35-score campaign out of Sam Darnold, who was expected to be the backup. With Darnold now in Seattle, O’Connell turns the reins of his high-octane offense over to 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy missed his first season due to a meniscus tear but projects to be an excellent fit in the offense. He has solid touch and accuracy and was adept at progressing through reads at Michigan. He’s in the perfect offense to make an immediate impact and will be a solid QB2 with QB1 upside. Aaron Jones, re-signed ($10M), leads with 1,351 all-purpose yards (PFF grade: 86.9). Jones stayed healthy and produced six RB1 performances. Despite turning 30, Jones’s metrics aren’t showing any noticeable declines. He’s firmly in the middle-round RB2 territory. Jordan Mason, acquired from San Francisco (789 yards, 5.2 YPC), adds a bruising backup (PFF grade: 78.3). The $19.3M invested (3rd in NFL) supports a run-heavy approach (4.7 YPC, 9th in NFL), with Jones’ 5.1 yards after contact and Mason’s power offering a good contrast to the passing attack. Justin Jefferson (1,622 yards, PFF grade: 92.1) and Jordan Addison (893 yards, 10 TDs) form an elite duo. Jefferson slipped from 20.4 PPR points per game to 18.4 in 2024. Yet, he still posted overall WR2 numbers. Hard to rank him anywhere else but there. Addison’s numbers also decline a hair, but he matched his rookie TD totals. Second-round pick Tai Felton adds speed (4.39 40-yard dash) and will push Jalen Nailor for WR3 duties. TE T.J. Hockenson missed half the season recovering from a knee injury. However, he still posted eye-opening metrics, leading all tight ends with a 35.6 percent target rate and ranking 3rd in yards per route run (2.61). Hockenson is a locked-in TE1 with top-3 potential. Fantasy Grade: A- QB McCarthy, J.J., MIN [QB1] Sleeper  What might have been. J.J. McCarthy’s preseason injury resulted in a career-defining season for Sam Darnold. The Vikings have finished 6th,5th, and 6th in passing in Kevin O’Connell’s three seasons on the sidelines, averaging 4,295 passing yards and 31.7 TD passes. O’Connell let Darnold walk, showing tremendous confidence in his 2024 first-rounder. McCarthy looked terrific before the injury and excelled in Michigan’s pro-style offense. He’s accurate, adept at progressing through reads, and ran a 4.57. McCarthy has an excellent supporting cast and plays in a fantasy-friendly scheme with a coach who is a QB whisperer. One of 2025’s top breakout candidates. ADVICE: Must-have sleeper with top 10 upside. RB Jones, Aaron, MIN [RB1] Bust  On the surface, Aaron Jones thrived in Minnesota, turning a career-high 255 carries into the best rushing season (1,138) on his resume. Jones stayed healthy and also hauled in 51-of-62 targets, ranking 8th. However, Jones will be 31 in December and there are signs he’s slowing down. His yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt, and Elusive Rating have all declined for three consecutive years. Additionally, Jordan Mason is a real threat to take carries away from Jones, especially in the red zone. Also, Minnesota is breaking in a promising but unproven signal-caller. ADVICE: Regression candidate after last season’s RB1 finish. RB Mason, Jordan, MIN [RB2] Sleeper  Jordan Mason, now with the Minnesota Vikings, is a 2025 fantasy sleeper with RB3 potential. In 2024, he rushed for 789 yards (5.2 YPC) and three touchdowns in 12 games, ranking 6th among RBs in YPC (min. 100 carries). His three games with 20+ carries yielded 100+ yards, showcasing workhorse potential. Despite limited touches, Mason ranked 9th in breakaway runs (12) and 4th in explosive play rate. He’s to the top gear that Jones lacks. At 25, Mason’s youth and 4.53 40-yard dash contrast with Aaron Jones’ age-31 wear. Mason is a threat to steal snaps, potentially splitting touches. ADVICE: His 1B role makes him a high-value handcuff with standalone flex appeal. WR Jefferson, Justin, MIN [WR1]  Despite quarterback instability, Jefferson continues to produce at an elite level. He has surpassed 1500 receiving yards in multiple seasons and remains a focal point of the Vikings’ offense. He tied Ja’Marr Chase for the most WR1 weekly finishes (12). Jefferson’s production did drop slightly after T.J. Hockenson returned from injury, but QB JJ McCarthy will likely lock into his all-world WR this season. His route-running and hands make him QB-proof, ensuring consistent fantasy production. Jefferson plays the X receiver and slot, so the Vikings can move him around on mismatches. ADVICE: High-floor WR1 regardless of quarterback play. Mid to late first-round draft target. WR Addison, Jordan, MIN [WR2]  Addison got a lot of production out of a 20.1-percent target share (64th), mainly because of his touchdown prowess. His 14.2 PPG (PPR) showed TD-driven value, but struggles against man coverage and seven games with single-digit fantasy points are concerns. A potential 1-3 game DUI suspension adds more risk. With Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson commanding targets and rookie QB J.J. McCarthy’s unproven arm, Addison’s volume may stagnate. Still, his 77/1,098/12 pace post-injury in 2024 suggests he’ll remain a TD-dependent WR3 with weekly boom/bust potential. ADVICE: Strong WR3, but Addison relies on touchdowns, making his prognosis uncertain with a new signal caller. WR Felton, Tai, MIN [WR3] Super Sleeper ADVICE: Felton (6-1, 185) is a burner with slot/perimeter flexibility and ranked third among

Monday Playoff Preview

Monday Playoff Preview  The 6-game NFL Wild Card Weekend continues Sunday with a full day of games. FullTime Fantasy‘s Sunday Playoff Preview breaks down the slate from a fantasy football and sports betting perspective. And just because the fantasy regular season has ended doesn’t mean the fun is over. FFWC Playoff Fantasy Football is a great way to extend the fantasy fun and win amazing prizes! Minnesota Vikings (14-3) at Los Angeles Rams (10-7) Time: 8:00 Eastern from Glendale, Arizona Line: Vikings -2.5 Total: 47.5 Money Line: Minnesota -145, Los Angeles +125 Vikings Offense This is another rematch of a regular-season game. In Week 8, the Rams defeated Minnesota 30-20 at SoFi Stadium. For the Vikings to even the score, they can’t allow Matthew Stafford to sit in the pocket and pick them apart for another four scores. Sam Darnold was fine in that game, throwing for 240 yards and two touchdowns. Vegas is predicting Darnold will be better in the rematch. His Week 19 passing yard prop is 265.5 yards and he’s -168 to be OVER 1.5 touchdowns. The Rams allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, so this looks like a plus matchup for Darnold and company. RB Aaron Jones was held to 58 yards on 19 rushes in Week 8. However, he did catch a pair of passes for 37 yards. Jones’s yardage prop of 82.5 with +125 odds of finding pay dirt looks promising but the Rams were above-average against running backs in the regular season. LA allowed only 10 total RB touchdowns in 17 games. Cam Akers will mix in behind Jones and will have some drives to himself. Additionally, Jones was dealing with a quad injury down the stretch that could result in more opportunities for Akers. However, Jones is not listed on the injury report. Los Angeles wasn’t as good against the pass, which bodes well for Minnesota’s receivers. Justin Jefferson caught eight for 115 yards in Week 8. Meanwhile, the Rams allowed an opposing receiver to surpass 90 receiving yards nine times in the regular season. Additionally, LA surrendered 20 touchdown receptions to the position. Our RDA* projections favor another huge outing for Minnesota’s superstar WR1. Jordan Addison didn’t do much (2/22/0) in the previous game. However, Addison has been hot, scoring seven of his nine touchdowns since Week 11. He also averaged 8.25 targets per game during that stretch. Our RDA* projections view Addison as a solid option in this slate, projected to catch 4.2 balls for 58.7 yards, and a 50/50 shot at scoring. We don’t have much interest in Minnesota’s ancillary wideouts. However, TE T.J. Hockenson looks like a good target. In PPR leagues, the Rams allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends, who averaged a healthy 15.2 fantasy points per game. Rams Offense Although this is a Rams’ “home” game, the NFL moved it to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, due to the destructive wildfires in and around the LA area. Since getting picked apart by Matthew Stafford in Week 8, the Vikings have shored up their pass defense. In fact, the Vikings allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to enemy signal-callers in the final five weeks of the regular season. This game’s 47.5-point total looks inviting. However, our RDA* projections are cool on Stafford. Only the Ravens allowed fewer rushing yards than Minnesota, so it’s a lousy matchup for RB Kyren Williams. However, Williams led all running backs with an 87% snap share, assuring he’ll have ample opportunities to contribute on the ground, via the pass, and in short yardage. He’s -125 to score and has a scrimmage yard prop of 97.5 yards. WR Puka Nacua returned to the lineup against Minnesota in Week 8 and made an immediate impact. As good as the Vikings have been against the run, they’ve struggled versus the pass. Minnesota allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Additionally, we see a favorable game script for Nacua, who comes in as our No. 1 wide receiver in this slate. Cooper Kupp’s play tailed off down the stretch. He only had three targets in each of LA’s final three contests and never topped 30 receiving yards. Kupp caught five balls for 51 yards and a score against this secondary in Week 8. However, our RDA* projections (5/62/.33) are quite a bit higher than Vegas projects. WR3 Demarcus Robinson had a DUI arrest this week. There’s no indication if that will impact his role in this game but we recommend avoiding the Rams’ ancillary receivers. That includes the tight end position. Tyler Higbee is still working his way back and should lead the way. However, the Rams don’t feature the position prominently and will use multiple players. Higbee is the best bet to score if you’re looking to save money in DFS.   FullTime Fantasy’s Playoff Fantasy Football Contests Play 1 or play all 3! YOU decide! Emil Kadlec Memorial Playoff Pick ‘Em — A FREE Single-Entry Contest. Maui Madness Playoff Pick’Em — ($25 or a 5-pack for $100) Playoff Draft World Championship $229 with NEW and improved league prizing! Maui Madness is still accepting entries until Conference Championship Weekend. The contest determines the winner by using your highest two weekly scores. While most fantasy football leagues have already concluded, that does not mean the fun is over. In fact, the best is yet to come for one skilled fantasy player! That person who can build the best fantasy lineup for the playoffs will win the grand prize of: A Trip for Four to Maui! The Grand Prize includes: • Resort Accommodations for 6 nights in Maui’s Five-Star Kaanapali Alii Resort (2BR-2BA) • Airfare for Four anywhere in the continental U.S. (up to $1000 for each person roundtrip airfare*  • Grand Prize package worth an estimated $10,000!  *certain date restrictions may apply 1 ENTRY = $25 5-PACK = $100 (that’s a $25 savings!) Find full scoring here.

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 8

Cooper Kupp - PreSeason Pro

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 8 Welcome to the midway point of the 2024 NFL season which is flying by. Kicking things off in Week 8 is an NFC showdown between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. The FullTime

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 8

Welcome to the midway point of the 2024 NFL season which is flying by. Kicking things off in Week 8 is an NFC showdown between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. The FullTime Fantasy Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 8 has all the insight you’ll need to win your fantasy football matchups and bets.

The Vikings are coming off their first loss of the season. They won’t have much time to prepare traveling to Los Angeles on short rest. However, LA’s struggles on both sides of the ball make a good rebound spot.

Meanwhile, the Rams just got their second win of the season and are 2-1 at home. Additionally, key reinforcements will give Sean McVay and his staff a better shot at hanging around in a game where they are home dogs.

Minnesota is a 3-point favorite and the total has risen 1.5 points up to 48.

Matchup 

TEAM OFFENSE PASS RUSH YDS/PLAY POINTS
Minnesota Vikings 24 20 21 10 11
Los Angeles Rams 26 21 29 20 25

Despite the records, these teams are similar offensively. The biggest difference is in scoring efficiency. Minnesota scores 23.6 points per contest. Conversely, the Rams only score 19.

Defensively, the Vikings allow 340.3 yards per game compared to LA’s 364.3. The Vikings are worse against the pass and the Rams allow 151.7 on the ground- third-worst in the league.

Cooper Kupp is expected to return, which will boost LA’s middling passing attack. But trade rumors persist. Fantasy managers are concerned with usage and potential.

For Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores, the Vikings will try to keep the Rams guessing with stunts and pressure. Reaching a multiple-possession lead would lead to a favorable game script to run the ball.

Minnesota Offense 

We’ve seen this out of Sam Darnold before. A hot September is followed up with…

How will Thursday’s Broncos vs. Saints game go?

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2024 Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Preview

2024 Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Preview The Vikings took a step back in Kevin O’Connell’s second season, dropping from 13-4 to 7-10. In his third season at the helm, OConnell must contend with breaking in a brand new franchise signal caller,

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NFL DFS Monday Night Football: Vikings vs. 49ers

NFL DFS Monday Night Football: Vikings vs. 49ers This article will help you build your NFL DFS Monday Night Football lineups for tonight’s 49ers-Vikings matchup. The 2023 Week 7 NFL Sunday ends with Monday Night Football. Two high-powered offenses will square off as the 2-4 Minnesota Vikings host the 5-1 San Francisco 49ers. Vikings vs. 49ers Date, Time, and Where to Watch Date: October 24, 2023 Game Time: 8:20 pm ET Where to Watch: ABC/ESPN Vikings vs. 49ers Odds Spread: Vikings +7 (-110), 49ers -7 (-110) Total Odds: O/U 43.5 (-110) Moneyline Odds: Vikings (+260), 49ers (-325) Today we analyze from a DFS perspective the fantasy player projections from Shawn Childs. WHO IS SHAWN CHILDS? Quite simply, Shawn is the brains behind many of the metrics and projections at FullTime Fantasy. He has an extensive history in the fantasy industry, including being enshrined into the NFBC Baseball Hall of Fame. Shawn was previously the No. 2 most accurate DFS ranker and boasts several big DFS wins including over $200,000 last season at Draftkings. Shawn has the proven history and versatility you won’t find ANYWHERE else. Let’s dive right into the projections typically reserved for FullTime Fantasy Members, by team and by position: 49ers vs Vikings Projections There aren’t a ton of great value plays on tonight’s slate. It’s pretty top-heavy and we would implore you to stick with the trustworthy 49ers. RB Christian McCaffrey is active. But his prohibitive salary and injury status make him a bit risky. It’s tough to squeeze him into a Captain’s spot, so we’ll be looking to add a more balanced lineup. With Deebo Samuel sidelined, Brandon Aiyuk may make for the best Captain. We would also recommend a stack with Brock Purdy. And to add some cap space, Brandon Powell looks like a decent value at his cheap price tag considering Justin Jefferson is still sidelined. Obviously, feel free to mix and match all of the higher-value players for your contest selections tonight. For a contrarian build, our projections determined that George Kittle and Jordan Addison are the only other players who can be considered for the captain spot. If you pass on Christian McCaffrey or Brandon Aiyuk in the captain slot and go with Kittle or Addison, you may be able to slot in both quarterbacks. Happy Lineup Building! Finally, are you a Die-Hard Fantasy Football Player? CLICK HERE to Start Your Road to the 2023 Fantasy Football World Championships.

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 2

Jalen Hurts

The opening week of the 2023 NFL season was filled with surprises. A good percentage of those were poor ones. That includes both participants in tonight’s games. Hopefully, both squads can turn it around, but we’ll dig deep in our

The opening week of the 2023 NFL season was filled with surprises. A good percentage of those were poor ones. That includes both participants in tonight’s games. Hopefully, both squads can turn it around, but we’ll dig deep in our Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 2.

 

Philadelphia managed to pull out a win in Week 1 but had an underwhelming offensive showing in New England. Meanwhile, the Vikings were stunned at home, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-17.

Both teams are loaded with fantasy-relevant talent. The main question is will we see both offenses rebound? The FullTime Fantasy Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 2 analyzes the game with fantasy tips, DFS picks, and our best bet.

Matchup 

TEAM OFFENSE PASS RUSH YDS/PLAY POINTS
Minnesota Vikings 6 3 31 2 20
Philadelphia Eagles 24 23 14 22 8

Both squads fought in close matchups in their openers. Philadelphia’s potent offense was held to 154 passing yards by Bill Belcichik’s defense. The Eagles were just 4-of-13 on third downs and held to 4.1 yards per play.

Expect things to rebound for Philly on Thursday. Turnovers did the Vikings in last week. Minnesota outplayed the Buccaneers but lost the turnover battle 3-0. For the Vikings to have a shot against a tough Eagles team on the road, they must clean up that part of their game.

Minnesota enters this game as a 6.5-point underdog. The over/under of 49 is the second-highest of the slate.

Let’s break down what that means from a fantasy football and sports betting perspective in our Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 2.

How will Thursday’s Vikings vs. Eagles game go?

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NFL Week 1 Buccaneers at Vikings: DFS & Fantasy Preview

Justin Jefferson

NFL Week 1 Buccaneers at Vikings: DFS & Fantasy Preview Betting Line: Vikings – 6 Over/Under: 45.5 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waltz into Minnesota with a sharp decline in quarterback play after the retirement of Tom Brady. Baker Mayfield has

NFL Week 1 Buccaneers at Vikings: DFS & Fantasy Preview

Betting Line: Vikings – 6

Over/Under: 45.5

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waltz into Minnesota with a sharp decline in quarterback play after the retirement of Tom Brady. Baker Mayfield has a 31-38 record while gaining only 6.8 yards per pass attempt in his career. Last year, Tampa threw the ball 751 times but allowed only 22 sacks. Brady’s ability to get rid of the ball quickly was the most significant factor, not the offensive line. The Bucs will throw the ball a lot less in 2023, with a spike in sacks and bad passing plays. Mike Evans hopes to extend his streak of at least 1,000 receiving yards to 10 seasons. Tampa hopes Rachaad White can make more explosive plays in his second year with the Bucs. Chirs Godwin capitalized on his time with Brady, leading to 202 catches for 2,126 yards and eight touchdowns over the past two years.

Minnesota had the best wide receiver (Justin Jefferson) in the land, based on fantasy ADPs all summer. The Vikings want to attack via the pass, and they added another dynamic wideout (Jordan Addison) in this draft class. The running back position is in transition, but Minnesota hopes Alexander Mattison can carry the RB1 load. T.J. Hockenson played the best ball of his career after arriving midseason to the Vikings. K.J. Osborn gives Kirk Cousins another dependable receiver to move the ball.

Note: The fantasy points per $1,000 are based on the early projections for Week 1.

The above grid shows the top players excepted to contribute in Week 1 in the fantasy games. I listed each player’s salary at DraftKings and FanDuel, plus their fantasy points expected per $1,000 of salary invested. In GPP (grand prize pools) events, the goal is to find players with a chance to score four times their salary at DraftKings ($50,000 salary cap and three times at FanDuel ($60,000 salary cap). 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield

  • Over his last 18 starts. Mayfield passed for more than 235 yards in one game (11/28/2021 – 247/1). He has 18 touchdowns over this span when starting, with 18 interceptions and 57 sacks (525 pass attempts – 10.9%). Tom Brady threw the ball 1,452 times in 2021 and 2022, but he only was sacked 44 times (2.9%). The bottom line with this rant is that the Vikings could be a gold mine in Week 1 despite their poor outlook.
  • The Vikings had the fifth-worst pass defense (22.02 FPPG), with nine teams passing for 300 yards (333/1, 418/2, 326/3, 330/1, 301/2, 382/2, 369/0, 330/3, and 334/1). Their defense finished with 35 sacks.
  • Compared to 2022, the Vikings’ defense should be better in the secondary if Lewis Cine seizes a starting job and one of their young cornerbacks steps up to handle a starting gig. I see a below-par defensive line with three assets on the first two levels of their defense – Marcus Davenport, Danielle Hunter, and Jordan Hicks.
  • As much as I expect Mayfield to fail over the long haul in 2023, Tampa will chase on the scoreboard, and he does have two proven wide receivers and a pass-catching running back.

Rachaad White

  • The Bucs’ running backs had 338 catches for 1,529 yards and 11 touchdowns on 286 targets over the past two seasons. Again, their success was tied to Brady dumping the ball off and the elite number of pass attempts by Tampa Bay.
  • White ranked 35th in running back scoring (142.10) in PPR leagues, gaining 3.7 yards per rush and 5.8 yards per catch. He did secure 50 of his 58 targets.
  • Running backs had 90 catches for 667 yards and four touchdowns on 115 targets against Minnesota in 2022.
  • Game flow should favor him in the passing game, and his salary is low enough that a touchdown added to his expected…

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2023 Minnesota Vikings Outlook

kirk cousins justin jefferson

2023 Minnesota Vikings Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview

2023 Minnesota Vikings Outlook

 

The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview of all 32 teams from football legend Shawn Childs.

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Minnesota Vikings Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Kirk Cousins

Since arriving in Minnesota, Cousins posted a 46-33-1 record, with strength in his completion rate (67.8). He averaged 32 touchdowns over five seasons with the Vikings while sitting out two games.

In 2020 and 2021, Cousins ranked 11th and 10th in fantasy scoring (366.95 and 352.35) in four-point passing touchdowns leagues. His floor was 4,200 passing yards in three seasons from 2018 to 2021 while offering minimal value in the run game (44/123/1, 31/63/1, 32/156/1, and 29/115/1) over this span. In 2021, he passed for more than 300 yards in six matchups, but Cousins finished with only one impact game (32.25 fantasy points). On his down days, he scored fewer than 20.00 fantasy points in six outings, four of which gained less than 225 yards passing.

Last season, Cousins set career-highs in completions (424) and passing attempts (643), with his second-best showing in passing yards (4,547). A shorter passing window (46 sacks) led to weakness in his yards per pass attempt (7.1). After a sluggish first eight games (1,999 passing yards and 13 touchdowns), he produced three impact games (298/3, 425/2, 460/4, and 301/3) over the next seven weeks. Cousins finished 6th in quarterback scoring (354.95), falling in line with his previous two seasons.

Fantasy Outlook: Cousins will have a top-five opportunity in the league to throw again in 2023 while playing with an electric WR1 (Justin Jefferson). T.J. Hockenson (60/519/3 over 10 games) proved to be an excellent addition at the trade deadline last year. The combination of K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison gives Minnesota the passing depth to test defenses all over the field. Cousins doesn’t add much on the ground (31/97/2), leading to him ranking 12th at quarterback in June. Next step: 5,000 combined yards with a career-high in touchdowns.

— Running Backs —

The Vikings running back production in rushing yards (1,556) and receiving yards (493) declined in back-to-back seasons. In addition, their yards per rush (4.2) is trending in the wrong direction. They set three-year lows in rushing attempts (369), catches (66), and targets (88). Their backs gained 2,049 yards with 19 touchdowns and 66 catches (22.64 FPPG in PPR formats). The only positive out of last year was Minnesota’s willingness to run the ball in close for touchdowns.

Alexander Mattison

Minnesota gave Mattison the best opportunity of his three-year career in 2021, leading to 719 combined yards with four touchdowns and 32 catches. In his three games with starting snaps and over 20 touches (32, 32, and 25), he delivered Dalvin Cook-type production in fantasy points (23.10, 27.30, and 21.40) in PPR formats. However, over his other 13 matchups, Mattison scored only 55.60 combined fantasy points. In addition, his yards per rush (3.7) and yards per catch (7.1) came in at career lows.

Last season, he saw his role slide to the lowest point in his four years (374 combined yards with six touchdowns and 15 catches on 89 touches). Mattison finished with the second-most running back snaps (304 – 24.8%). His decline in chances was due to Dalvin Cook staying healthier in 2022. On the downside, Mattison gained only 3.8 yards per rush and 6.1 yards per rush. His only playable fantasy game came in Week 18 (10/54/2 with one catch for six yards).

Fantasy Outlook: In the early draft season, Mattison ranks 31st at running back as they wait for the Vikings to give some inside on their running back plans in 2023. He’s shown flashes over his career, suggesting 200 touches are within reach. On the downside, Mattison doesn’t have the resume or ceiling to keep the starting job if he stumbles out of the gate. My starting point is 1,000 combined yards with six to eight scores and 30 catches. His outlook will fluctuate over the summer.

Ty Chandler

 

The Vikings took a flier on Chandler in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He saw action over five years in college, leading to 3,810 combined yards with 30 touchdowns and 72 catches. His stock rose in 2021 after switching to North Carolina (182/1,092/13 with 14 catches for 207 yards and one score). 

Chandler brings elite speed (4.38 40-yard dash) to Minnesota. His hands grade higher than

 

 

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE VIKINGS IN 2023?

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