J.J.McCarthy

News: 3 days agoMcCarthy has taken around one-third of the first-team snaps at training camp so far, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.

Spin: The Vikings have divided snaps, as promised, but with Kyler Murray getting significantly more work than McCarthy. That's no surprise given McCarthy's performance last year, but the team does still seem to have some interest in developing him. The report notes that McCarthy has spent much of the summer leading Minnesota's second-string offense against the first-string defense, with mixed results. Murray remains a strong favorite to start Week 1.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: McCarthy's career is off to a slow start after the 2024 first-round pick missed his entire rookie season because of an injury then struggled through 2025. McCarthy appeared in 10 games and totaled 11 passing TDs and 12 interceptions while completing an ugly 58% of his passes. McCarthy added some value with his legs (including four TDs), but his production was extremely inconsistent (18-plus fantasy points in four games, but 6.7 per game in his other six outings). The 23-year-old still has plenty of time to develop, but that might come as a backup to Kyler Murray this season. McCarthy is worth considering in only superflex or dynasty leagues.