Fantasy Football Player Notes

Justin Jefferson's disappointing 2025 season was far more about quarterback dysfunction than any decline in talent. Even during a "down year," Jefferson still commanded an elite target share, while poor QB play and brutal touchdown luck tanked his fantasy production. The arrival of Kyler Murray gives Minnesota's superstar receiver a massive opportunity to rebound into the elite WR1 tier, where he has spent his entire career. Fantasy managers should treat Jefferson as a prime bounce-back candidate and one of the best values among first-round receivers in 2026 drafts.

Aaron Jones returns to Minnesota this season, another year older and with more injuries and missed games on his resume. Last year, he missed five games while dealing with hamstring, shoulder, and hip injuries. When he was active, he averaged 13.3 touches and 62.3 total yards as the RB31 in fantasy points per game. Entering his age-32 season, I don't think Jones can be expected to play a full 17 games as a workhorse back. He will likely split work with Jordan Mason this season, picking up most of the passing game usage. On early downs, his best days are behind him, as he was 32nd in explosive run rate, 43rd in missed tackle rate, and 49th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). In the receiving game, he is still above average, ranking 26th in yards per route run and 24th in first downs per route run. Jones should be considered an RB3/PPR flex play for 2026.

Jordan Addison's 2025 fall-off was heavily tied to poor quarterback play and an early-season suspension, leading to the least productive fantasy season of his young career. Still, the former first-round pick flashed upside whenever the Vikings received competent QB play, averaging 77 receiving yards per game with Carson Wentz under center. Addison's downfield role continues to create splash-play potential, but it also makes him more volatile week-to-week. With Kyler Murray now in Minnesota, Addison profiles as a strong bounce-back candidate, although added target competition in the red zone could cap his touchdown upside.

After seven topsy-turvy seasons with the Cardinals, Kyler Murray will make a fresh start with the Vikings in 2026. Murray may or may not be in a quarterback competition with JJ McCarthy for Minnesota's starting job, but it's widely expected that Murray will be taking the snaps when the Vikings face the Packers in Week 1. Murray played only five games last season before sustaining a foot sprain that eventually landed him on injured reserve. Murray's yearly finishes in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks with at least five starts: QB11, QB4, QB4, QB7, QB9, QB12, QB20. Murray steps into a good situation with Kevin O'Connell as his playcaller, and he'll have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings as his wide receivers. Murray has always added rushing value, having averaged at least 30 rushing per game in all seven of his NFL seasons. The perception might be that Murray is damaged goods, but he could be one of the better QB values in 2026 fantasy drafts.

Jordan Mason is a one-trick pony, but that one trick is quite good. He's a strong early down option for NFL offenses and should continue to serve in the role this season for Minnesota. Last year, he was the RB42 in fantasy points per game while soaking up 158 rushing attempts and producing 758 rushing yards and six total touchdowns. Among 49 qualifying backs, he ranked tenth in explosive run rate, seventh in rushing success rate, ninth in missed tackle rate, and 15th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Aaron Jones will continue to be the passing-down partner for Mason for Minny in 2026. If (or when) Jones misses time, Mason could be a plug-and-play RB2, but he's best viewed as a high-end handcuff/touchdown-dependent flex.

Jauan Jennings revived his career over the last two seasons, finishing as a fantasy WR3 in 2025 while emerging as one of the NFL's most heavily targeted red-zone receivers. However, his move to Minnesota likely pushes him into a depth role behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell values Jennings' versatility and physicality, but consistent fantasy relevance could be difficult to achieve without injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. Jennings still offers some touchdown appeal in deeper formats, though his weekly ceiling projects much lower in Minnesota than it was in San Francisco.

It was only three years ago that TJ Hockenson had 95 catches for 960 yards and five touchdowns. But Hockenson tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee in late December of that 2023 season, and he has yet to regain his old form. Last year, Hockenson had 51 catches for 538 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. Granted, the Vikings' quarterbacking was substandard, which might help explain why Hockenson averaged a career-low 8.6 yards per catch. The Vikings could conceivably get a QB upgrade with Kyler Murray this season, and TE Trey McBride was Murray's favorite target during the QB's final three years in Arizona. But Hockenson is entering his age-29 season, and he'll have to share targets with WRs Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Consider him a low-end TE2 or high-end TE3.

2025's fifth-highest scoring DST opens the schedule at home against the Packers at home, followed by two road matchups versus the Bears/Buccaneers. However, the defense projects to suffer more injuries after being the 4th-healthiest unit last season. They also had the fourth-fewest passes defensed despite ranking in the top 5 in pressure rate/sacks. Brian Flores' blitz-happy defense lends itself to boom-or-bust DST performances (25th in turnover margin in 2025).

Will Reichard had a strong showing for the Vikings in his second NFL season, finishing sixth in fantasy scoring among kickers and averaging 9.4 fantasy points per game. Reichard missed only two kicks all season, converting 33-of-35 field goals and 31-of-31 extra points. Both of the misses came from 50 yards or longer. The Vikings offense could be more potent this season is the team gets better quarterbacking, and that seems like a given considering how problematic the QB position was for Minnesota in 2025. Reichard also gets to play his home games in a dome, which is a bonus. Reichard could be a sneaky-good fantasy option.