Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will look to build off an impressive Week 9 win this Sunday when his team squares off with the visiting Baltimore Ravens. McCarthy returned from a five-game absence last weekend and led a decisive win against their division-rival Detroit Lions, totaling three touchdowns (one rushing). The former Michigan Wolverine will be put to the test again in Week 10, this time against a Ravens D that's clamped down over the previous few weeks. That said, McCarthy's performance in Minnesota's most recent win at least has him on the streaming radar in favorable matchups. On paper, the Ravens are just that -- affording opposing air attacks 250 yards per game (fifth-most). Fantasy managers in need of a bye week fill-in can give the 22-year-old a chance as a high-end QB2.
Nov 6, 2025 11:29 AM EST
In his first game since suffering a high-ankle sprain in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy impressively led his team to a big road win over the division-rival Detroit Lions on Sunday in Week 9. While the 22-year-old's final stat line wasn't all that impressive -- he went 14-for-25 passing for only 143 yards -- he did throw two touchdowns and added another score on 12 rushing yards. What was impressive was the fact that he was able to lead Minnesota to a tough road win behind a shaky offensive line against a strong opponent in just his third career start after a lengthy injury absence. McCarthy's two touchdown passes went to receiver Justin Jefferson and tight end T.J. Hockenson, with both coming in the first half. At the very last, he's worth stashing as a QB2 with upside in fantasy as he heads into a Week 10 meeting against the Baltimore Ravens.
Nov 3, 2025 12:41 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy returned in Week 9 from an ankle injury that had sidelined him for five games and led his team to a massive victory on the road over the division rival Detroit Lions. McCarthy completed 14 of 25 pass attempts for 143 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, adding 12 yards and a touchdown on nine rush attempts. While it was not the most efficient day for McCarthy from a yardage perspective, the 22-year-old showed flashes of his ability to pilot a productive NFL offense. McCarthy's ability to make plays with his legs also bodes well for his fantasy upside. The Vikings will host the resurgent Baltimore Ravens in Week 10.
Nov 2, 2025 10:00 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is set to return to the starting lineup on Sunday against Detroit, but the biggest question for fantasy managers should be whether the team can keep him upright. The Vikings, who have the second-worst sack rate in the league, are coming off a miserable showing last week in which they ran just 47 plays and gained 146 yards. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) has been in and out of the lineup, right tackle Brian O'Neill (knee) has no designation this week but missed all of last game, and center Ryan Kelly (concussion) is on injured reserve. Still, with skill players like wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, there is at least some hope that McCarthy's return can provide a jolt to an offense that sorely needs it. Playing at Detroit is a tough start, however, so managers should consider McCarthy only in deeper leagues with a superflex spot.
Oct 31, 2025 4:59 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will have a full week to prepare before returning as the starter for Week 9 against the Detroit Lions, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. McCarthy is expected to step back in as Minnesota's starting quarterback for the first time since Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, when he suffered a high-ankle sprain that caused him to miss five games. The 2024 first-round pick struggled to adjust to the speed of the NFL in his first two games, completing 24 of 41 pass attempts for 301 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions to go with nine sacks taken. The 22-year-old will have plenty of growing pains after missing all of his rookie year with a knee injury, but head coach Kevin O'Connell has expressed confidence in him as their starter going forward. It's a tough spot to make his return, with a hostile road environment awaiting in Detroit for Week 9.
Oct 29, 2025 4:56 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Tuesday that quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is "expected to have a full week of prep" leading up to the Week 9 contest this Sunday versus the division-rival Detroit Lions, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. O'Connell also said that QB Max Brosmer "will step into the No. 2 role." Veteran Carson Wentz will undergo season-ending left-shoulder surgery, so McCarthy is expected to step back into the starting role for the first time since suffering a high-ankle sprain in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 22-year-old former first-rounder missed all of his rookie season with a knee injury that required surgery, so the jury is still out on the Michigan product. In his two starts to open 2025, McCarthy completed 58.5% of his passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and three picks. It will not be a soft landing spot for his return on the road in Detroit this weekend.
Oct 28, 2025 12:59 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is expected to start against the Detroit Lions in Week 9, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. While Rapoport had previously reported that McCarthy would be the starter when healthy, his exact timetable for returning remained up in the air. Now, we have some clarity that the second-year quarterback should be active next weekend, barring a setback. Minnesota has managed to play 3-4 football despite starting Carson Wentz for five of its seven games, but it still ranks last in the NFC North as the division's only team below .500. McCarthy will face a tough task in his first game back, as the Lions are 5-2 with a strong defensive front. On a positive note, Detroit's defense has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2025, so Minnesota's signal-caller could have a solid performance. The 22-year-old ranks as a mid-range QB2 ahead of his third game this season -- and his first since Week 2.
Oct 26, 2025 9:29 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will return to the starting role in Week 9 if he's fully healthy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. McCarthy has missed five consecutive games, leaving Carson Wentz as the team's starting quarterback. The veteran is now 2-3 while filling in for McCarthy, and the urgency to hand the reins back to the Michigan product could be growing after Wentz struggled in the Vikings' 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night. Rapoport cautions that while the starting job will belong to McCarthy, he's only going to play if he's fully healthy. The 22-year-old will now have 10 days to get healthy before a quarterback decision must be made in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions.
Oct 24, 2025 12:44 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will need to be able to play a game without having any restrictions or setbacks before returning, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. McCarthy has been working his way back from a high-ankle sprain that he suffered back in Week 2 against the Falcons and is "just not there" to be ready on a short week against the Chargers in Week 8. Veteran Carson Wentz will make his fifth start of the season while McCarthy works through some of the final stages of his rehab. The 22-year-old will again serve as the emergency QB3 behind Max Brosmer on Thursday night before hopefully returning as Minnesota's starter in Week 9 against the Lions.
Oct 22, 2025 10:12 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that if the team were playing on a Sunday in Week 8, quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) "might have a chance to go." Veteran Carson Wentz will make a fifth straight start in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night, but O'Connell's comments seem to put McCarthy on track to be available to start in Week 9 against the division-rival Detroit Lions, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. McCarthy was put through an on-field workout on Tuesday morning. The Vikings are encouraged by his progress from a high-ankle sprain that he suffered back in Week 2, but "he's just not there" on a short week. The 22-year-old will be the emergency QB3 again this week behind Max Brosmer on Thursday night. Minnesota still believes in McCarthy as their QB of the future, but more growing pains should be expected from fantasy managers when he eventually returns to the starting gig this year, whether it be in Week 9 or later.
Oct 21, 2025 3:25 PM EST
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) could soon have the starting job back after the Minnesota Vikings lost 28-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, after which multiple members of the team highlighted the mistakes in the passing game that proved costly in quarterback Carson Wentz's fourth straight start. Wentz had two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and committed a baffling intentional grounding penalty while in the red zone that forced the Vikings into a field goal attempt. Wentz called his second-quarter interception "dumb" and "not a wise decision," while coach Kevin O'Connell and receiver Justin Jefferson both stressed cleaning up mistakes, which held the Vikings to one touchdown from six trips inside the Eagles' 20-yard line. McCarthy still hasn't been given the full vote of confidence as he returns from his injury and still could miss another week, but Sunday seemed to quell talk of a lingering controversy in Minnesota.
Oct 20, 2025 10:24 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is currently recovering as he tries to work his way back from a multi-week absence. However, even when McCarthy is healthy again, he's not guaranteed to reclaim the starting quarterback job in Minnesota. Carson Wentz (shoulder) has been playing well as the Vikings' fill-in starter, and it could be tempting for head coach Kevin O'Connell to ride the hot hand. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, "the Vikings are putting off [the quarterback] decision until they absolutely have to make it. If Wentz wins this week, wins next week, it's hard to imagine the team making him the backup, after that run of success." McCarthy remains a strong stash in dynasty leagues, but he has lost plenty of his redraft appeal.
Oct 19, 2025 10:42 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is expected to be the emergency third QB for Sunday's matchup against the Eagles, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. McCarthy is set to miss his fourth straight game after suffering a high ankle sprain in Minnesota's Week 2 loss to the Falcons. There was an expectation that McCarthy would be ready to go out of the team's bye in Week 6, but they opted to give him some more time to rest. Veteran Carson Wentz is in line to make another start against his former team in Week 7. He's completed 69% of his passes for 759 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions in McCarthy's place and holds some value in two-quarterback leagues.
Oct 17, 2025 4:47 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that he is focused on "building that foundation back up" when discussing quarterback J.J. McCarthy's (ankle) fundamentals, per Alec Lewis of The Athletic. McCarthy returned to practice on Monday for the first time since injuring his ankle in Week 2. However, he has not yet officially been named Minnesota's starter in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Lewis reports that McCarthy's health and the team's confidence in his throwing mechanics are both hurdles that he needs to overcome before taking the field. If McCarthy remains out of action in Week 7, veteran Carson Wentz (shoulder) would likely make his fourth straight start against Philadelphia. However, Wentz suffered a shoulder injury in Week 5 before Minnesota's Week 6 bye that puts his availability in question. Fantasy managers will need to check back later this week for an update on the Vikings' quarterback situation in Week 7.
Oct 14, 2025 11:14 AM EST
With the Vikings preparing to play the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7, head coach Kevin O'Connell has no plans to name his starting quarterback just yet. J.J. McCarthy (ankle) and Carson Wentz (shoulder) will both practice this week after carrying injuries into the bye week, and O'Connell plans to assess what he sees before making a decision. The team started the year 1-1 under McCarthy before he was sidelined by an ankle injury sustained late in a Week 2 loss to the Falcons. They've since gone 2-1 with Wentz, with both Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson benefiting from the improved passing volume over that time. McCarthy was the 10th overall pick of the 2024 Draft, so the expectation is that he will again be named the starter as soon as he is healthy, but with Wentz proving capable as his backup, the leash might be shorter than once thought coming into the year.
Oct 13, 2025 2:47 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) had a productive bye week and should return to practice within the next few days. However, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, McCarthy's availability for Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles remains uncertain. The second-year signal caller "is not 100 percent," and it remains to be seen how his ankle will respond to consecutive days of practice. Fantasy managers should look for updates when the Vikings post their official injury reports during the upcoming week, as those reports will offer more clarity on McCarthy's practice involvement and whether he's trending in the right direction for Week 7. If he can't play, Carson Wentz (shoulder) should be the presumptive starter.
Oct 12, 2025 10:35 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will get "extensive work" on the field during the team's bye this week, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. McCarthy is officially returning to practice this week after missing three games due to a high right-ankle sprain that he suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Veteran Carson Wentz one two of his three starts with McCarthy sidelined, although he did suffer a left-shoulder injury in the Week 5 win over the Cleveland Browns in London that the team will monitor this week. McCarthy led a comeback in Week 1 over the Chicago Bears but looked like a rookie in Week 2 while playing through his ankle injury. O'Connell didn't exactly commit to McCarthy starting in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles coming off the bye, so if Wentz's shoulder is alright, the veteran could make a fourth straight start.
Oct 7, 2025 6:41 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) has not practiced in the weeks after his injury, but the Vikings still appear to be targeting Week 7 as the quarterback's return after their Week 6 bye. Diana Russini of The Athletic reported McCarthy could be out longer, but cited a league source saying there was "nothing to see here" on the injury front. Carson Wentz went 2-1 as a starter in McCarthy's absence, including leading a game-winning touchdown drive in the final minute in Week 5 against Cleveland, though Minnesota is likely to go back to the 2024 first-rounder. The bigger issue for any Vikings quarterback is the amount of injuries up front. The team will be without starting center Ryan Kelly (concussion) for at least another month, right tackle Brian O'Neill (knee) and left guard Donovan Jackson (wrist) are both question marks for Week 7, and left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) has been on a snap count as he returns from ACL surgery last year.
Oct 7, 2025 2:15 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Monday that quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is expected to resume practicing next week as they head into a Week 7 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Emily Leiker of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. McCarthy suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and has not played since. The 22-year-old will have an extra week to recover, though, with the Vikings on bye in Week 6 following two straight weeks of international games in Ireland and England. The Vikings still believe in McCarthy as their QB of the future, but McCarthy has been non-committal on whether McCarthy will jump right back in as the starter when he's past his ankle injury after struggling in his first two NFL regular-season games. Veteran Carson Wentz could be in line for a fourth straight start in Week 7 against his former team, the Eagles.
Oct 6, 2025 11:27 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) has officially been ruled out for their Week 5 contest against the Cleveland Browns. McCarthy has been sidelined since suffering this high ankle sprain during their Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Carson Wentz to receive his third-straight start. Wentz threw for just 173 yards but tacked on two TD passes in his Minnesota debut in Week 3. In Week 4, he took a loss to the Steelers but enjoyed a productive fantasy day, totaling 350 yards with another two touchdown passes. Wentz carries solid QB2 value this weekend, despite facing a potent Cleveland defense. Given McCarthy's uncertain timetable, he is only worth stashing in deeper one-QB leagues while he remains sidelined. McCarthy will look to return to action in Week 7 when they host the Eagles, following their Week 6 bye.
Oct 3, 2025 9:14 AM EST
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