FANTASY FOOTBALL NEWS

J.J. McCarthy Back On The Field

By Jared Smola | Updated on Fri, Jan 17 2025 7:04 PM UTC

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy is back on the field, throwing and training, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Thursday. McCarthy is working his way back from a right knee injury suffered in August. He had his meniscus repaired on August 14 and a second surgery in November to address swelling. But it sounds like McCarthy is trending in the right direction now and should be able to participate in the offseason program

What They're Saying

Adofo-Mensah on McCarthy: "We’re excited about what we have in him. We’re excited for this offseason for him, it’s a big offseason. ... It was a redshirt year, but this was a great mental year for him. ... We’re really confident in him, his work ethic, and his preparation."

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

QB Sam Darnold exceeded expectations this year, despite a disappointing finish. But odds are that the Vikings will let Darnold walk this offseason and turn the offense over to McCarthy, who was the 10th overall pick of last year's draft.

McCarthy was off to a strong start before the knee injury by all accounts. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards, two TDs, and one INT in his only preseason appearance.

While McCarthy remains a relative unknown, he'll be stepping into an excellent spot if he does win the 2025 starting job. The Vikings have ranked top six in both passing yards and TDs in all three seasons under HC Kevin O'Connell.

Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks sixth among 158 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.