McCarthy, the 2nd-year signal caller from Michigan, gets the
job to himself this season as the Vikings unquestioned starter.
Missing his rookie year due to a meniscus tear in the preseason,
McCarthy watched Sam Darnold have a career year in this offense,
and now gets his own chance to give Minnesota a shot at the title.
Fitted with a Super Bowl roster of superstars and game breakers,
McCarthy needs to play within the offense and use his athleticism
and big arm to keep defenses honest. While he got plenty of “mental
reps” last year, it’s the decision making that’s
going to make or break this season. While he won a ton at Michigan,
he was never asked to carry the load, or operate a complex passing
offense. He’s got all the physical gifts and intangibles
you could ask for, but what gives him fantasy relevance are his
coach, and passing game weapons. Like Darold last year, there
is a world where McCarthy is efficient, and does enough with his
legs to come into fantasy relevance at some point in the year.
With 25+ touchdown potential, and elite receivers, McCarthy is
one of my favorite upside QB2s.
RB Aaron Jones
(2024 RB Rank - No.16, 11.6 FPts/G)
Jones was rock solid in his first year with the Vikings, rushing
for a career high 1,138 yards. His additional 408 receiving yards,
and 51 receptions also approached career highs. Most importantly,
he played a full season for only the 3rd time in his career. Entering
his age 31 season Jones figures to again lead this backfield in
touches if health allows, as Minnesota gave Jones $13 million
guaranteed in the offseason. The addition of Jordan Mason via
trade is simply insurance/future proofing at this point, as Jones
is realistically locked in for this season. I just don’t see him
being able to repeat the fortuitous health from 2024 and that
baked in risk makes him more of a low-end RB2.
RB Jordan Mason
(2024 RB Rank - No.33, 8.8 FPts/G)
Mason was an absolute beast for the first quarter of the season
in place of the injured Chrisian McCaffery. Piling up 100-plus
yards in three of the first four games of the season Mason all
but faded from relevance after Week 6. Injuries of his own cost
him time on the field, and the 49ers felt like a late-round pick
was worth more than keeping him around as injury insurance. The
former undrafted free agent joins the Vikings as a direct backup
to veteran Aaron Jones. Largely a product of the 49ers run scheme,
Mason doesn’t possess enough elite traits to threaten playing
time, and makes for a reliable, yet underwhelming handcuff for
Jones owners as he offers next to nothing as a receiver.
In his 5-year career the only thing capable of slowing Jefferson
down is his hamstring. Despite a rotation of middling quarterbacks
in his first few years, Jefferson has produced at an elite level
while on the field. Even with the question marks a young, untested
quarterback brings, Jefferson remains one of the best fantasy
bets at any position. With a complement of threats around him,
he’ll always find space in the secondary, and his 10 touchdowns
last season tied a career best. A lock for the top-5 at his position,
he should be one of the first players selected in all draft formats.
With Sam Darnold showing out, Addison remained a more than relevant
fantasy asset last season. He followed up a solid rookie campaign
with nearly identical numbers, and repeated as a top-20 option
at the receiver position. Because of the presence of Jefferson,
and what I think will be a more conservative passing game (The
Vikings were already the middle of the pack in pass attempts),
Addison will disappear for stretches, as he’s done over his first
two years. But his blow-up games are week winners, and he’s a
fantastic upside WR3 that has now exceeded expectations two years
straight. Despite 19 touchdowns in his first two seasons, I’m
still leery about trusting him to repeat those numbers for a 3rd
straight season, especially since T.J. Hockenson will be healthy
to start the season.
The fact Hockenson was able to come back at all last season and
make significant contribution is an amazing accomplishment. After
a late 2023 ACL tear, Hockenson returned in Week 9 looking healthy
and spry. His first big game came in Week 12 where he went over
100 yards. He only found the endzone once (during the playoffs),
but he remained healthy the rest of the season, and enters 2025
once again near the top of the tight end rankings. While the position
has seen an infusion of young talent recently, Hockenson was a
top-three option before his injury, and will return to being the
2nd most targeted option on the team even with a young quarterback.
Due to position, he’s a little more insulated from any McCarthy
growing pains, and slots easily as a top-10 tight end option.
