After signing with the team as a free agent this offseason, Kyler Murray has officially been named the starting quarterback for the Vikings per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That decision makes former top-10 pick JJ McCarthy the backup.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: McCarthy Out, Upgrade In
Despite the announcement coming before any preseason games were played, it was one that felt overdue. Given McCarthy's lack of success in his second season and Murray's track record, this depth chart was the expected outcome.
We have Murray projected for a full 17 games.
McCarthy averaged just 11.3 passing fantasy points per game last season, during by far the worst fantasy-producing year of both Justin Jefferson’s and Jordan Addison’s careers. Even Murray’s worst fantasy-producing season still produced 13.7 passing fantasy points per game.
We’ve seen Murray rank among the best fantasy QBs before, and pairing him with Kevin O'Connell, Jefferson, and Addison should push him back up. That should also help those offensive weapons rebound.
A QB who’s produced at least 5.0 rushing PPG in five of the past six seasons brings a relatively high floor. That rushing floor is another reason he’s ranked above ADP.
