Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw three touchdown passes in a game for the first time in his career as the Vikings throttled Washington 31-0 on Sunday. The second-year quarterback finished the day by completing 16 of 23 passing attempts for 163 yards, added 19 rushing yards on six carries, and, crucially, did not commit a turnover. Even against one of the NFL's bottom-tier defenses, McCarthy's performance was a sigh of relief following weeks of persistent struggles. McCarthy led scoring drives of 61 and 98 yards on the Vikings' first two possessions, and the Minnesota defense pitched a shutout to let the offense lean on the running game thereafter. The Vikings are effectively out of the playoff picture, but will use the rest of the season to take a long look at McCarthy, whose career-best 129.2 passer rating on Sunday was a strong first step in the right direction. He'll see another plus fantasy matchup against a leaky Dallas pass defense in Week 15.
Dec 7, 2025 4:51 PM EST
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said that he would not be surprised if the Minnesota Vikings brought in a veteran quarterback next season to enhance their QB room and "maybe push J.J. McCarthy a little bit." After moving on from Sam Darnold following a career-best season in 2024, the Vikings added veteran Carson Wentz as insurance behind McCarthy to begin the 2025 campaign. Wentz suffered a season-ending shoulder surgery, leaving undrafted rookie Max Brosmer as the backup for McCarthy. Brosmer was forced into action in Week 13 against Seattle after McCarthy suffered a concussion, and he had a disastrous four-interception performance last weekend. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season in 2024 following knee surgery, and he has mostly struggled in his first six NFL starts, completing 54.1% of his 159 pass attempts for 929 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. If McCarthy continues to struggle to close out 2025, he might not be a lock for the starting QB job going into the 2026 season.
Dec 7, 2025 11:17 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (concussion) is back in the lineup and facing one of the NFL's worst defenses in the Washington Commanders, but should be considered a volatile QB2 option for fantasy lineups. The second-year quarterback picked up two huge NFC North road wins earlier this season, but has once again missed significant time due to injuries and mostly struggled when available. McCarthy has 10 interceptions and a 54.1% completion percentage in his six starts, though Washington's defense has had its own issues. The Commanders have allowed scoring drives at the highest rate in the NFL and rank in the bottom five against fantasy quarterbacks, and McCarthy has shown flashes of mobility with 120 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on 23 carries. Managers approaching the fantasy playoffs in Superflex formats will have to evaluate McCarthy against their other options, but there is some hope that a talented Minnesota offense can finally turn a corner against a bad defense at home.
Dec 5, 2025 3:48 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been cleared from the NFL's concussion protocol, per ESPN's Kevin Seifert. The 22-year-old missed Minnesota's Week 13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but it appears he's on track to return to the field for the team's Week 14 matchup against the Washington Commanders. McCarthy has struggled mightily across six starts this season, completing 54.1% of his pass attempts for 929 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. However, with McCarthy injured in Week 13, backup quarterback Max Brosmer threw four interceptions and Minnesota was shut out by the Seattle Seahawks. McCarthy at least remains a credible threat with his legs, as he's rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 23 rushing attempts this season. He profiles as a low-end fantasy QB2 in Week 14 against Washington.
Dec 4, 2025 4:27 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (concussion) was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, putting him on track to return on Sunday against the Washington Commanders in Week 14, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. McCarthy still needs final clearance from an independent neurologist to be cleared from the league's concussion protocol, but he's trending in the right direction after suffering a concussion in Week 12 and missing the Week 13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. In his absence on Sunday, undrafted rookie QB Max Brosmer was a disaster, throwing four interceptions, including an ugly pick-six. The 22-year-old McCarthy has mostly struggled in 2025 after missing his entire rookie season, completing just 54.1% of his passes for 929 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 picks in six starts. If he returns on Sunday, McCarthy will be a volatile low-end QB2 option in superflex formats.
Dec 3, 2025 7:15 PM EST
Still in the NFL's concussion protocol, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (concussion) is symptom-free, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. McCarthy will need to log a full practice on Wednesday to clear the league's protocol, but barring unforeseen circumstances, O'Connell has said he will start the team's Week 14 game against the Commanders. McCarthy reported concussion symptoms following a Week 12 loss to the Packers, and in his absence, the Vikings turned to undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, who led them to a disastrous loss to the Seahawks. Brosmer threw for under 130 yards with zero touchdowns and four interceptions. While the subpar play of McCarthy has had a profoundly negative impact on Justin Jefferson and the rest of the Vikings' pass catchers, Sunday represented rock bottom. Jefferson's four receiving yards marked a career low that was undoubtedly felt by fantasy managers fighting for a playoff spot, but with McCarthy expected back under center for Week 14, Jefferson slots back in as a low-end WR2/Flex, far from the must-start status he generally carries into the fantasy playoffs.
Dec 1, 2025 2:47 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (concussion) remains in the NFL's concussion protocol and has officially been ruled out for his team's Week 13 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. With McCarthy sidelined, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will make his first NFL start against Seattle. McCarthy's latest injury is the latest setback in what's been a disastrous 2025 season for the 22-year-old. He's completed just 54.1% of his pass attempts and thrown 10 interceptions across six starts this season, and Week 13 will mark his sixth missed game due to injury. If Brosmer produces in a tough spot against the Seahawks, there's a chance he could get an extended look as the Minnesota starter. In his senior season at the University of Minnesota in 2024, Brosmer completed 66.5% of his pass attempts for 2,828 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions across 13 games played.
Nov 28, 2025 3:18 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who entered concussion protocol earlier this week, is not expected to play Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Next in line to take snaps for the Vikings is rookie quarterback Max Brosmer, out of Minnesota, who is set to take the first meaningful snaps of his career. Brosmer, undrafted in the 2025 draft, was signed by the Vikings as a priority undrafted free agent. He will look to bring a Vikings offense back to life, featuring playmakers who have underformed all year due to McCarthy's poor play, such as Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones Sr. McCarthy, the Vikings' former first-round pick in 2024, has struggled mightily in 2025, completing only 54 percent of his passes, throwing for 929 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in six games played. While it's not clear the timeline and return for McCarthy, as concussion protocols are a tricky game to play, it's possible that if Brosmer plays well, the Vikings continue to let him play to see what they have in him, as it's been a lost season for the (4-7) Vikings after high hopes coming into the season after having 14 regular season wins in 2024 with Sam Darnold under center.
Nov 26, 2025 9:15 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (concussion) has entered the league's concussion protocol after reporting symptoms following a Week 12 loss to the Packers. McCarthy was evaluated on Sunday night by the team's training staff and doctors, who then made the decision to place him into protocol. The Vikings will travel to Seattle for a Week 14 matchup with the Seahawks, and McCarthy will now need to clear protocol if the team hopes to have him available. Should he miss any time, the Vikings will turn to undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. On the surface, this would seem to be a blow to the fantasy value of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and the rest of the Vikings offense, but with McCarthy averaging fewer than 155 passing yards per game in six starts, while throwing 10 interceptions to only six touchdowns, any dip should be negligible. Fantasy managers should continue to trot out their underperforming stud receiver based on talent alone.
Nov 24, 2025 2:15 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy failed to reach 100 yards passing and threw his ninth and 10th interceptions of the season in a humbling loss on Sunday at Green Bay. In total, the second-year quarterback finished 12-for-19 for 87 yards with no touchdowns, and rushed for 10 yards on two carries. The Packers sacked McCarthy five times as the Vikings gained four total yards in the second half. It was the third consecutive rough outing for McCarthy, who is getting his first extended look as a starter. The Vikings attempted to control the game on the ground, but ran just 44 plays and gained 145 total yards. Fantasy managers in Superflex leagues will want to tread cautiously with McCarthy next week at Seattle.
Nov 23, 2025 3:55 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy should be considered a volatile Superflex option when his team goes to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers in Week 12. The former Michigan star's overall numbers are not pretty -- he's completed only 53% of his passing attempts and thrown eight interceptions in five games -- but the Vikings have continued to preach patience. The Packers rank third in yards per play allowed, which presents a difficult matchup, but McCarthy has saved his best for NFC North road games thus far, as six of his eight total touchdowns this season took place in victories at Chicago and at Detroit. Additionally, McCarthy has also shown rushing ability by compiling 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns on only 24 carries. Ultimately, however, McCarthy is on the road and has not played well lately, so managers will have to gauge their risk tolerance for playing the league's youngest starter as the fantasy playoffs approach.
Nov 21, 2025 3:33 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings are now 4-6 behind struggling young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but the team is betting that McCarthy can overcome his current issues and acclimate to the NFL with time. Receiver Adam Thielen, who is back in Minnesota after two full seasons in Carolina, pointed to Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, whose improvement in his third season came after two mostly rough years at the helm. "I'm sure he's leaning on a ton of experience from the last few years that (included) some really tough moments," Thielen said, according to The Athletic. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell hasn't entertained a move and maintains McCarthy's issues are mechanical and can be corrected. Minnesota is going to give McCarthy the runway to improve, so managers in Superflex leagues will know they'll have a playable QB, albeit one going through the ups and downs of being a first-time starter.
Nov 18, 2025 11:39 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell isn't considering benching second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at all as he continues to develop after missing all of his rookie season due to a knee injury. When asked if there was a level of performance that would lead him to make a change at QB during a game, O'Connell said he was "not going to get into any of that right now." "There's what's best for the young quarterback, what's best for our offense, what's best for our team," O'Connell said when asked about balancing McCarthy's development with trying to win enough games to make the playoffs. "That's my job to manage all those things, and I've got to do a better job of that." The 22-year-old struggled for most of the Week 11 loss to the Bears on Sunday and has gone 50-for-99 with five interceptions in three starts since returning from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 2. The Vikes are going to live and die with McCarthy's growing pains the rest of the year, and fantasy managers will be in the same boat.
Nov 17, 2025 6:09 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is a solid Superflex candidate with his team set to face the Chicago Bears in Week 11. The second-year quarterback led a furious comeback in the Week 1 meeting between the two teams in which he accounted for three total touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and the Chicago defense continues to rank among the bottom of the barrel against fantasy quarterbacks. McCarthy is a work in progress as a passer, but encouragingly for managers, he's developed a nice rushing floor in his limited time with the Vikings. He rushed for a touchdown in two of his four starts and ran for 48 yards on only five carries last week against the Ravens. Certainly, some volatility is to be expected from a first-time starter, but McCarthy is already playable in two-quarterback leagues and could have additional week-to-week value with favorable matchups.
Nov 14, 2025 6:56 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (right hand) is off the injury report and "good to go" for his team's Week 11 matchup against the Chicago Bears, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. McCarthy has been battling swelling in his throwing hand after hitting it on a helmet during Minnesota's Week 10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but it appears it won't prevent him from suiting up against Chicago. Across four starts this season, the 22-year-old has completed 53.7% of his pass attempts for 692 yards, five touchdowns, and six interceptions. He's been more productive with his legs, rushing for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 21 attempts. McCarthy profiles as a solid fantasy starter in two-quarterback formats, but should likely be avoided in single-QB leagues against Chicago in Week 11.
Nov 14, 2025 3:36 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (right hand) practiced in full on Thursday after being listed as a limited participant on Wednesday due to a hand injury. The 22-year-old appears to be tracking towards being fine for his team's crucial Week 11 matchup against the Chicago Bears. McCarthy had a rough game in Week 10, completing less than 50% of his pass attempts and throwing two interceptions in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. On the plus side, he rushed for 48 yards and has now racked up 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns across four games this season. McCarthy's legs could be an even greater emphasis in Week 11 if he's battling an injury to his throwing hand. He profiles as a low-end fantasy QB2 in Week 11 against Chicago.
Nov 13, 2025 4:18 PM EST
Updating a previous report, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) was officially limited in practice on Wednesday, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. McCarthy had some swelling in his right throwing hand after hitting it on a helmet during Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. While the second-year signal-caller may be a bit limited in practice this week as a result, he's fully expected to play this Sunday against the Chicago Bears in Week 11. The 22-year-old former first-rounder finished 20-for-42 passing for a career-high 248 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions in the Week 10 loss to the Ravens. McCarthy started strong but struggled to put drives together after the first quarter. He has shown upside in his first four NFL games in 2025 after missing all of 2024 with a knee injury. However, fantasy managers hoping for more for the rest of this year must be willing to live with the ups and downs as he continues to develop.
Nov 12, 2025 6:08 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) will have a bandage on his right hand at practice on Wednesday, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. McCarthy hit his hand on a helmet in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but it is not expected to impact his week of preparation "very much," and he remains set to play on Sunday against the Chicago Bears in Week 11, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN. The 22-year-old threw for a career-high 248 yards and a touchdown in the Week 10 loss, but he also tossed two interceptions and generally struggled after the first quarter. He added five rush attempts for 48 yards on the ground. The former first-rounder has shown glimpses of the upside that the Vikings see in him as their franchise QB, but like any young QB -- remember, this is essentially McCarthy's rookie season after he missed all of 2024 with a knee injury -- there are going to be growing pains. Things won't get any easier this weekend against a ball-hawking Bears defense.
Nov 12, 2025 3:45 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been hot-and-cold in his limited experience as the team's starter, but the Vikings believe his struggles are to be expected as he acclimates to the NFL. The league's youngest starter at age 22, McCarthy is completing 53.7% of his passes with five touchdowns and six interceptions through four games. The Vikings certainly didn't help the young quarterback with eight false start penalties in Sunday's loss to Baltimore, which contributed heavily to only 13 carries for running backs and 42 passing attempts. McCarthy currently has the highest depth of target of any quarterback in the NFL, and Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell acknowledged some of the game scripts have not "fit hand in hand with where you'd like the game to be for the ascension of (McCarthy's) development." While Minnesota continues taking the long view with McCarthy, managers will have to gauge their risk tolerance for playing an erratic, if promising, young quarterback during the fantasy home stretch.
Nov 11, 2025 10:14 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy wasn't able to lead his team to victory in Week 10 over the visiting Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, but he did throw for a career-high 248 yards on 20-for-42 passing in the 27-19 loss. The 22-year-old former first-rounder threw a touchdown and two interceptions while also adding five rushing attempts for a team-high 48 yards on the ground. There's clear upside with the inexperienced QB, but his performance on Sunday was mostly up and down against a Ravens defense that is getting healthier. McCarthy is rostered in just over 50% of Yahoo fantasy football leagues currently and makes for a midrange QB2 with upside going forward, although managers should expect the roller coaster to continue in 2025 in what is essentially his rookie season. In two games since returning from a high-ankle sprain, he is 24-for-41 passing for 301 yards, two TDs, and three picks while running for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Nov 10, 2025 12:18 PM EST
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