Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell announced that Kyler Murray is dealing with a sore hamstring and is week-to-week. Carson Wentz will start the upcoming Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills. If Wentz performs well, Murray may be OUT with a phantom injury for the rest of the season.
Fantasy managers should view Wentz as a viable Superflex option while Murray recovers on the sidelines. The quarterback change provides a ceiling boost for pass catchers in this offense due to increased passing volume. Jordan Addison, in particular will benefit from more efficient read progressions.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz performed ...
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The J.J. McCarthy era in Minnesota has officially come to a close, with the former first-rounder heading to the New York Giants to provide insurance behind 2026 starter Jameis Winston. McCarthy’s tenure with the Vikings fell well short of expectations, concluding after just 10 career starts, a mediocre 6.7 yards per attempt, a 57.6% completion rate, and an underwhelming 11-to-12 touchdown to interception ratio. Content to turn the page, the Vikings are moving forward with a quarterback room featuring Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz, and practice squad member Max Brosmer.
Meanwhile, McCarthy’s arrival in New York injects much-needed depth into a quarterback room reeling from Jaxson Dart’s season-ending knee injury. He is expected to slot in directly behind Jameis Winston, likely leapfrogging the recently promoted practice squad member Jake Haener. There is also a family connection worth noting, as McCarthy spent his college career playing under Jim Harbaugh, brother of current Giants head coach John Harbaugh, which may give the staff some extra insight on how best to unlock his potential.
Vikings QB Kyler Murray has cleared concussion protocol and will return to the starting lineup Sunday vs. the Buccaneers. There was some speculation heading into Week 2’s game vs. the Bears that if Carson Wentz played a strong game after leading a furious comeback in relief of Murray in Week 1 that he might keep the job, but an underwhelming showing vs. the Bears ended any chance of that.
Kyler was off to a mixed start in Week 1 prior to the concussion: his first pass was intercepted and he was just 3-for-5 with 18 yards but did have 2 rushes for 9 yards. Murray’s rushing is what has made him such an effective fantasy football QB while healthy, having 4-top 10 seasons, including a top 3 finish in 2020. Murray will hope to get back to that Pro Bowl form beginning in Week 3’s matchup vs. the Buccaneers.
Vikings starting QB Kyler Murray will miss Week 2 due to the concussion he sustained late in the first quarter against the Packers in Week 1. Backup QB Carson Wentz, who completed 12 of 19 for 133 yards and 3 TDs, will get the start instead. It is confirmed that 2nd year QB J.J. McCarthy will serve as Wentz’s backup.
Wentz rallied the team from a 29 point deficit to a stunning victory, while earning the praise of both teammates and HC Kevin O’ Connell. Wentz was sharp, decisive, and efficient after stepping in for Murray, and this poses an interesting situation for fantasy football gamers to monitor, as wily Wentz played well enough for HC Kevin O’ Connell to consider Wentz the starting QB going forward. Wentz is currently PlayerProfiler’s QB 24 heading into Week 2 and rising. ~Jason Diaz
Vikings QB Kyler Murray left the Week 1 contest in the first quarter after suffering a concussion vs. the Packers in his Vikings debut. Murray was quickly ruled out of the game as Carson Wentz took over and filled in admirably, throwing 3 TD’s in a victory over the Packers.
Murray now enters the NFL’s concussion protocol, a five-step, phased progression, culminating with full clearance by an independent neurologist. Hopes were high for Murray to regain his Pro Bowl form he showed in his days with the Arizona Cardinals. Fantasy football managers will have to keep an eye on how Murray progresses through concussion protocol over the next week. Justin Jefferson owners shouldn’t worry, as he still put up 31.2 PPR points this week with Wentz filling in.
32-year-old Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz proved to be a gamer for Minnesota. Wentz fought through an excruciating injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder to keep the Vikings’ ship afloat with a 2-3 record. Now, J.J. McCarthy is ready to re-take the reins after his own injury (ankle).
It has been reported that Wentz suffered the injury way back in Week 5’s London game, when he exited briefly before guiding the team to a victory over Cleveland. The shoulder dislocation also resulted in a torn labrum and fractured the socket. Wentz donned a bulky harness to stabilize the shoulder in the following two losses to Philadelphia and the Chargers. During the Los Angeles game in particular, the quarterback was overcome with pain both between plays and on the bench. Still, Wentz fought through a hit-laden five-sack day, each further exacerbating the injury.
Second-year quarterback McCarthy was close to a return in Week 8, but the coaching staff elected to give his high-ankle sprain one more week of healing. He’s expected to return to the starting role this Sunday in Detroit for a divisional tilt with Jared Goff and the Lions. For his part, Carson Wentz bows out of 2025 and is headed to surgery on the shoulder. Presumably, a well-deserved date with the couch will soon follow.
Wentz fought through an injury to give Minnesota a fighting chance in 2025. He finished after starting five games (winning two) while posting a 65.1 completion percentage, 1,216 yards through the air (and 57 rushing) with six touchdowns.
The Minnesota offensive line will need to get its act together to protect its young signal-caller in McCarthy. The unit allowed an inexcusable 19 sacks of the veteran over five games and a total of 28 on the season, the fourth-most in the NFL.
Author: Samwise (@BuyAndSellYou)
