Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) is progressing in his injury recovery, and the swelling has come down in his throwing hand, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. McCarthy has a hairline fracture in his right hand that kept him out of the team's Week 17 win over the Lions. Still, there remains a possibility that he could return for the final game of the season, a Week 18 divisional matchup with the Packers. McCarthy has had a rough showing in his first year as a starter, making Justin Jefferson one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy this season. That said, in any leagues with a Week 18 championship, the return of McCarthy is the only way fantasy managers should consider starting Jefferson one last time. In the two games started by undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, Minnesota has averaged 161.5 total offensive yards, with Jefferson finishing as the WR94 and WR48.
Dec 29, 2025 2:13 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) has been ruled out for the team's Week 17 Christmas Day matchup with the Lions. McCarthy underwent an MRI after being knocked out of the team's Week 16 win over the Giants, revealing a hairline fracture in his throwing hand. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, who came on in relief on Sunday, is expected to make his second career start on Thursday. His previous start came in a disastrous Week 13 loss to the Seahawks, in which he threw four interceptions and zero touchdowns. Fantasy managers who have survived a rough season from All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson and managed to reach their fantasy championship face another tough decision, with Jefferson best left on the bench despite coming off his first top-24 finish at the position since Week 11.
Dec 23, 2025 2:26 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy (hand) missed practice on Monday after having to leave last week's game at halftime with a hand injury. The Vikings have a favorable matchup this week and a chance to play spoiler against the Lions, but McCarthy will need to overcome his injury to be a viable option. He was excellent in his last two full games before the injury, producing three total touchdowns in wins over the Commanders and the Cowboys. McCarthy has the potential to be a streamer in two-QB or deep leagues if healthy, so keep a close eye on his practice participation if you're in the market for some help. If he's out, Max Brosmer would likely start, but he has not yet proven he can be a fantasy option.
Dec 23, 2025 9:47 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (right hand) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice report. The Vikings conducted a walk-through on Monday, so this designation is based on an estimation from the team. McCarthy exited during the middle of the Vikings' Week 16 contest and was unable to return. Video from the FOX broadcast showed McCarthy in serious pain, so between his pain level and Monday's injury report, it seems like there's a very real chance the former first-round pick misses Week 17 against the Detroit Lions. To make matters worse for McCartyhy, the Vikings and Lions have a short week, playing on Christmas Day (Thursday). He only has a few days to get healthy for Week 17. Otherwise, Max Brosmer would be in line to start against Detroit.
Dec 22, 2025 6:27 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) has been ruled out for the remainder of his team's Week 16 matchup against the New York Giants with a hand injury. The 22-year-old took a big shot to his right hand and wrist area from Giants edge rusher Brian Burns right before halftime. It's been an injury-ravaged season for McCarthy, who has also missed time in 2025 with an ankle injury and a concussion. He will finish Week 16 with nine completions on 14 pass attempts for 108 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception, and one fumble. McCarthy also recorded two rush attempts for 20 yards and a touchdown. In his absence, Minnesota will turn to Max Brosmer at quarterback for the remainder of Week 16. Brosmer has made one start this season and struggled, throwing four interceptions in Week 13 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Dec 21, 2025 2:51 PM EST
In the midst of the best stretch of his young career, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy can be considered a high-potential QB2 option for managers in Superflex leagues as the Vikings look to continue their winning streak in Week 16 at the New York Giants. He'll see another good matchup against the 2-12 Giants, who rank 27th in scoring percentage and 30th in turnover percentage, but could see a patchwork Minnesota offensive line. The Vikings will be without left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) and could also be missing right tackle Brian O'Neill (heel), who is questionable. McCarthy, who has been limited to eight starts in two years due to injuries, looked significantly improved during the past two games, in which he completed 66% of passes, accounted for six touchdowns, committed only one turnover, and finished among the top 10 fantasy quarterbacks both times. McCarthy is still raw and prone to volatility, but the past two weeks vindicated managers who kept the faith, giving them a quality option with a favorable matchup deep in the fantasy playoffs.
Dec 19, 2025 4:26 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy's struggles this season have been well-publicized, as the 22-year-old has thrown 11 interceptions across eight starts. However, McCarthy has shown signs of improvement since returning from a concussion that forced him to miss a game in late November. Over his last two starts, McCarthy has completed 66% of his pass attempts for 413 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. He also remains a threat with his legs, rushing for 34 yards and a score on 10 attempts over that stretch. McCarthy has had favorable matchups over the past two weeks against the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys. However, his schedule remains on the lighter side over Minnesota's next two games, as they will face the New York Giants in Week 16 and the Detroit Lions in Week 17. If McCarthy can hold some of the gains he's made since returning from the concussion, he profiles as a solid fantasy QB2.
Dec 19, 2025 10:51 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy had a rough start to the season, with mistakes and injuries keeping him from being a fantasy option in almost all formats. In the last few weeks, though, the Michigan man has found a very nice groove while leading his team to wins over the Commanders and Cowboys. On Sunday Night Football, he completed 15 of 24 pass attempts for 250 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 15 rushing yards and a third score on the ground. He has six total touchdowns and just one turnover in those two games, and he has a great matchup to keep his momentum going in Week 16 as the Vikings head to New York and face the Giants. If you're looking for a second QB or are desperate for a streaming option, McCarthy's rushing potential makes him a solid snatch and start option this week.
Dec 16, 2025 9:58 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy delivered another encouraging outing in Sunday night's win over the Dallas Cowboys, completing 15 of 24 passes for 250 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception while adding four carries for 15 yards and another score on the ground. McCarthy threw an interception on his first pass of the game, but he settled in nicely afterwards and had arguably his best game as a pro. McCarthy has established a legitimate connection with Jalen Nailor, as they connected for two scores, while he continues to struggle to get on the same page with top wideout Justin Jefferson. The second-year quarterback has totaled 413 passing yards, 34 rushing yards, and six total touchdowns with one turnover over the past two weeks. McCarthy will look to build on his recent improvement in Week 16 in another great matchup against the New York Giants on the road.
Dec 15, 2025 1:00 AM EST
Coming off the best game of his young NFL career, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will see another quality fantasy matchup when the Vikings travel to Dallas in Week 15. The former Michigan star has been particularly hot-and-cold, even for a young quarterback, but managers in Superflex formats can consider him an option this week against the Cowboys' defense. While Dallas leads the NFL in pressure percentage, the Cowboys rank 31st in passing yards allowed, 30th in net yards per attempt, and 32nd in passing touchdowns surrendered. The biggest issue for McCarthy has been turnovers, but he's coming off a week in which he played turnover-free ball and set a career-best mark for passer rating in a decisive win against Washington. McCarthy is rushing for nearly five yards per attempt and still has an excellent collection of weapons, giving him lineup potential if he can continue to build upon last week's blueprint.
Dec 12, 2025 4:32 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has largely struggled so far this season. Across seven starts, the 22-year-old has completed 56% of his pass attempts for 1,092 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. However, McCarthy had one of his best performances of the season in his team's Week 14 win over the Washington Commanders, completing 16 of 23 pass attempts for 163 yards, three touchdowns, and zero turnovers. McCarthy has also shown some ability to provide production with his legs, rushing for 139 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Given that McCarthy has only cracked 170 passing yards in one start, fantasy managers should keep their expectations moderate. Still, McCarthy profiles as a high-end fantasy QB2 in a favorable Week 15 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and could be trending upward down the stretch of the season.
Dec 12, 2025 10:11 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy led his team to a 31-0 rout of the Commanders in Week 14 in a triumphant return from injury. He threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns in the win while adding 19 rushing yards on six carries as well. McCarthy completed 16 of his 23 pass attempts in one of his best performances of the season. This week, he'll be in a tougher matchup on the road against the Cowboys, but even though Dallas's defense has shown potential, they're still giving up a lot of points. The Vikings have a favorable few weeks ahead, so McCarthy can be an interesting play if you need a second QB for the rest of the season. His rushing potential and good pass-catching weapons give him good upside, even though he has struggled to reach his high ceiling throughout his first year as the team's starter.
Dec 9, 2025 9:55 AM EST
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
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