Fantasy Football Player Notes

Some people were nervous last summer that QB Sam Darnold could drag down Justin Jefferson's fantasy output. Jefferson finished with 103-1.533-10 and was WR2 in half-point PPR fantasy scoring. We probably shouldn't worry about a receiver as great as Jefferson being dragged down by second-year QB J.J. McCarthy, who'll be seeing his first regular-season action for the Vikings.

Aaron Jones has a reputation for being brittle, but he's played 17 regular-season games in two of the last three years. He's coming off a solid season for the Vikings in which he had 1,546 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns, good for an RB16 finish in half-point PPR fantasy scoring. Age is a concern with Jones, who turns 31 in December, and newcomer Jordan Mason could potentially cut into Jones' workload. But Jones performed well last season, and he'll be running behind a refurbished offensive line. He could be a value in your fantasy draft.

After T.J. Hockenson returned last year, he was the TE16 in fantasy points per game. This is largely due to the fact that despite drawing eight red zone targets in ten games played, he failed to score a single touchdown last year. Hockenson was the TE10 in expected fantasy points per game last season. Minnesota ramped him up slowly with a 45.2-47.9% snap rate in his first three games. After Week 11, he played 61% or higher snaps weekly. Overall, among 47 qualifying tight ends, Hockenson ranked 13th in target share (16.2%), eighth in receiving yards per game (45.5), 15th in yards per route run (1.65), and fifth-best in first downs per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). Another year away from his torn ACL, Hockenson should see his per-route efficiency improve, as he will be a strong TE1 in 2025.

Jordan Addison is only 23 years old, and he's already had a 10-touchdown season and a nine-touchdown season in the NFL. Despite having to share targets with Justin Jefferson, Addison has finished WR21 and WR20 in half-point PPR fantasy scoring the last two years. If your rivals are concerned that Addison plays with a top receiver and will be playing with a quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, who hasn't taken a regular-season snap, capitalize on the discount.

When the Vikings traded for Jordan Mason in the offseason, they immediately gave him a two-year deal that includes more than $7 million in guaranteed money, suggesting that they have plans for him. With Christian McCaffrey sidelined at the start of the 2024 season, Mason averaged 107 rushing yards for the 49ers over the first five games of the season (before getting hurt himself), 120 scrimmage yards per game, and 5.1 yards per carry. The Vikings' running scheme uses a lot of outside zone, which is right up Mason's alley. Mason could have some stand-alone value this season, and he'd become immensely valuable if anything happened to 30-year-old Vikings RB Aaron Jones.

Yes, I know we haven't seen J.J. McCarthy play outside of an abbreviated preseason sample last year, but I'll be targeting him everywhere this season. This should remain a pass-happy offense after ranking eighth in neutral passing rate and third in pass rate over expectation last year (per Fantasy Points Data). The Vikings remain loaded with skill players and added to the offensive line this offseason to give their new signal caller all the time in the world to dice up opposing pass defenses in 2025. Sam Darnold (yes, that Sam Darnold) finished as the QB9 in fantasy points per game last year, continuing a long history of Kevin O'Connel's quarterbacks finishing as QB1s. I believe McCarthy will keep that streak alive. He was a stellar prospect who has been airdropped into the perfect situation. In his final collegiate season, McCarthy ranked inside the top 12 FBS quarterbacks in passing grade, adjusted completion rate, yards per attempt, adjusted completion rate with downfield throws, and against pressure (per PFF). It's wheels up for McCarthy in 2025.

The Vikings were the DST2 in fantasy points per game last year, and they could be even better in 2025. Last year, they ranked fourth in sacks and sixth in pressure rate. Their secondary is a tad shakey on paper, but their pass rush should help cover some of those worries as quarterbacks run for their lives weekly.

Before his injury in Week 9, Will Reichard was averaging 10.4 PGG. After he returned fully healthy in Week 14, he averaged 11 PPG. All in all, the rookie kicker's PPG (when removing the game he was hurt) equates to 10.7 PPG - a top-5 number in 2025. Given how the Vikings benefit from a schedule that features 11 dome games, Reichard is a priority "sleeper" kicker to select in a high-powered offense that could go through some red-zone growing pains with an inexperienced second-year QB.