Kyler Murray Named Vikings Starter: Fantasy Football Impact on Justin Jefferson, Vikings Offense

The Minnesota Vikings announced the least shocking breaking news of the preseason on Tuesday, naming Kyler Murray their starting quarterback for the start of the season.

Murray, who came over from the Arizona Cardinals after seven seasons, was designated as a post-June 1 cut. Arizona saved itself from forking over nearly $20 million guaranteed with the move. Murray said his top destination was Minnesota, which turned out to be a mutual feeling from the Vikings, too.

Why would Minnesota have an interest in another quarterback after taking J.J. McCarthy tenth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft? 

Fantasy managers can answer that.

He has missed more time than not due to injuries in his short career and struggled with production and consistency.

Although head coach Kevin O’Connell said he believes “McCarthy has a future with the organization” on Tuesday, he also thinks he needs to learn from a veteran in order to continue “holding the pen on his story”.

And who else would be better to learn from than a veteran on a cap-friendly, $1.3 million deal?

Minnesota’s 4th Different Week 1 Starter in as Many Years

If NFL players could legally bet, Justin Jefferson would’ve had the inside scoop on this preseason storyline.

Murray follows in the footsteps of McCarthy (2025), Sam Darnold (2024) and Kirk Cousins (2023) who were one-and-dones under center for the Vikings to begin the season.

But, despite the quarterback carousel, Jefferson will be the first to take a sigh of relief at yet another change. He had his worst season in the NFL, and for fantasy managers, with McCarthy under center. 

His 61.6 yards per game (PFF) were a career-worst by at least 26 yards. His second-lowest, in his rookie season with Cousins, saw him average 87.5 yards. That number steadily climbed to 107.4 in Cousins’ final year with the organization in 2023, before dropping slightly to 90.2 with Darnold.

One key area of development for McCarthy will be increasing his efficiency and production when targeting the team’s receivers overall. His struggles with consistency were on display as a starter in 2025, throwing more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11) while completing 57.6% of his passes in 12 games played. This was last in the NFL, as was his 72.6 passer rating.

“McCarthy’s lack of production last season made him the only first-round pick quarterback since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger to finish last in the league in both completion percentage and touchdown-to-interception ratio in his debut season,” per CBS Sports Research.

Kyler Murray Fantasy Outlook: Why Minnesota’s Offense Favors Kyler

Minnesota doesn’t have a lack of receiving options. Alongside Jefferson, fourth-year wideout Jordan Addison returns, Jauan Jennings signed after playing five years in San Francisco, and the 6-foot, 5-inch, 250-pound T.J. Hockenson can be a top tight end in the league when healthy. Running back Aaron Jones has also caught 79 passes in his two seasons with the Vikings.

The aura of threats he had in Arizona, most notably DeAndre Hopkins, helped Murray become one of just four players in NFL history with 20,000-plus passing yards (20,460) and 30-plus rushing touchdowns (32) in their first seven seasons. Murray’s ability to draw defenders out but keep them honest in the box has contributed to both his passing and rushing success.

Being a dynamic player in both the passing and run game fits into O’Connell’s style of offense, too. O’Connell uses a variety of under-center formations, zone blocking and play-action passing. This should help Murray avoid the numbers in the “without” column now in Minnesota, as he has the strongest receiving cast with the Vikings that he has had so far in his career and not just one dominant option. 

O’Connell helped revive Darnold’s career most recently, as he now has his name associated with a Lombardi Trophy, and his work with Cousins earned him $100 million guaranteed in a four-year contract in Atlanta. Both Darnold (Seattle) and Cousins (Las Vegas) will start Week 1. He and Murray have a chance to make it three years in a row.

Keep tabs on The Wolf’s 2026 Fantasy Rankings to see where Kyler, Jefferson, and the rest of the offense shake up as training camp goes along.

Final Questions for Murray’s Longevity as Vikings Starter

It’s not a secret that Murray struggled to produce in his final few seasons with the Cardinals. Most notably, his athleticism looked to lag, and as something the signal caller relies on to support his game, does he still have it? 

Murray missed three games in 2021 (ankle), tore his ACL in 2022, forcing him to miss a combined 15 games across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and in 2025, missed the final 12 games of the year due to a foot injury.

Is Minnesota going with the veteran early, hoping McCarthy learns enough to take over at some point in the season? Maybe. But if Murray can stay healthy, he has the formula with the Vikings to be a top offense.

Where Are Vikings’ Offensive Weapons Being Taken in Drafts (ADP)?

How worth it is it to draft anyone from Murray to Jefferson to Hockenson? As of mid-August, this is where Minnesota’s offense is being drafted:

• Kyler Murray: No. 127 ADP, QB 17 (Round 12)
• Aaron Jones: No. 113 ADP, RB 41 (Round 11)
• Justin Jefferson: No. 12 ADP, WR 6 (Round 2)
• Jordan Addison: No. 108 ADP, WR 44 (Round 10)
• Jauan Jennings: No. 171 ADP, WR 64 (Not drafted in a majority of leagues)
• T.J. Hockenson: No. 173 ADP, TE 22 (Not drafted in a majority of leagues)