The Minnesota Vikings 2023 season was one of the most bizarre seasons of football I’ve ever witnessed. The Vikings had the 4th best win percentage in football, but by no means were they the 4th best team in football. With an 11-2 record in one-score games, the Vikings had everything go their way. With an older roster and changes to their defensive coaching staff, the Vikings are in the weird position of trying to win now while trying to get younger. It will be interesting to see how these changes will impact the 2023 fantasy football season.
FULL MINNESOTA DRAFT RESULTS
| Rd. | Pick | Player | Pos. | College |
| 1 | 23 | Jordan Addison | WR | USC |
| 3 | 39 | Mekhi Blackmon | CB | USC |
| 4 | 32 | Jay Ward | CB | LSU |
| 5 | 6 | Jaquelin Roy | DT | LSU |
| 5 | 29 | Jaren Hall | QB | BYU |
| 7 | 5 | DeWayne McBride | RB | UAB |
Round 1, Pick 23 Overall: Jordan Addison, Wide Receiver, Stanford (5’11” 173 lbs)
Depth Chart:
WR1: Justin Jefferson
WR2: Jordan Addison
WR3: K.J. Osborn
WR4: Jalen Raegor
TALENT
Jordan Addison is a very good receiver from a technical standpoint. He runs very good routes and knows how to create separation. Addison has good hands and goes up to get the ball. He also has very quick feet with good change of direction.
The problem I have with Addison is that, on tape, he just doesn’t look as athletic as a guy drafted in the first round should. Addison lacks top-end speed. While he gets separation, he does it through technique. This concerns me because how is he going to look against guys who won’t be selling used cars in five years?
When I look at Quentin Johnson, I can see a guy who has a ton of traits that can be developed. With Addison, I see a guy with a limited ceiling. I don’t even see him being a number-one receiving option on an NFL offense. To me, Jordan Addison has a ceiling as a number-two receiver. I think if Addison had been drafted in the second round, I would like him a lot more.
2023 OPPORTUNITY
Even though I have questions about Jordan Addison’s ability to transition to the next level, what I do not question is his opportunity. Addison is probably in the best possible position he can be to develop as a receiver, with minimal competition to worry about. With Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson on the field, Addison is going to see very favorable coverages. With K.J. Osborn and Jalen Raegor on the roster, Addison is going to see the field as the Vikings’ number two receiver.
2023 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Jordan Addison has a lot going for him from a fantasy football perspective. Last year, the Vikings were 5th in passing yards. While 37% of that was from Justin Jefferson, there are still a lot of yards available for the rookie. The departure of a declining Adam Thielen in the offseason leaves 70 catches, 716 yards, and 6 touchdowns available. Thielen finished 2022 as the WR32. Considering his potential draft capital, Jordan Addison should end up being a very solid investment.
TALENT
2023 OPPORTUNITY
2023 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Round 5, Pick 164 Overall: Jaren Hall, Quarterback, BYU (6’0” 207 lbs)
Depth Chart:
QB1: Kirk Cousins
QB2: Nick Mullens
QB3: Jaren Hall
TALENT
I’m not really sure how I feel about Jaren Hall. His college tape showed flashes of athleticism, but from a quarterbacking standpoint, he was inconsistent. Hall has an average arm. When Hall is able to cleanly release, the football has some zip to it. When he lets his mechanics get sloppy, it takes a while for the ball to get to its destination. Hall’s passes lose a ton of speed when he is throwing on the move.
Jaren Hall has good mobility in the pocket due to his athleticism, but this allows him to get reckless and hold the ball longer than he should. Hall gets happy feet in the pocket, but overall he makes good reads throwing the ball. Even though Hall puts the ball where he is supposed to, his ball placement is not very good. His receivers sometimes need to make incredible catches to accommodate his passes.
As a developmental project, I think Minnesota is a good fit for Jaren Hall. He is well-suited for a Shanahan offense. When Hall is on the move, one thing I appreciated about him is that his eyes were always looking downfield to make a play. With a little work, Jaren Hall should be a solid backup for the next ten years.
2023 OPPORTUNITY
As long as Kirk Cousins is in Minnesota, Jaren Hall will have limited opportunities. What is interesting about this draft pick is that there is a good chance that Cousins will not be back next year. It is also highly unlikely that the Vikings will be in a position to draft a quarterback in the first round next year. For 2023, Jaren Hall will likely be backing up Cousins. For 2024, Hall could be someone to keep an eye on.
2023 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Jaren Hall is a rookie quarterback taken in the 5th round. Not everyone gets to be Brock Purdy. Hall’s 2023 fantasy football outlook is as bleak as the investment portfolio of Bitcoin bros.
TALENT
2023 OPPORTUNITY
2023 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Round 7, Pick 222 Overall: DeWayne McBride, Running Back, UAB (5’10” 209 lbs)
Depth Chart:
RB1: Dalvin Cook
RB2: Alexander Mattison
RB3: Ty Chandler
RB4: DeWayne McBride
TALENT
DeWayne McBride was my lowest-rated running back of everyone drafted in the 2023 class. While he has good vision and balance, McBride just did not show the athleticism on tape I need to see from a guy playing against Conference USA. McBride has speed, but he lacks breakaway speed. He was constantly being caught from behind.
It takes a while for McBride to accelerate and there was not a lot of pop to his cuts, which is something he needs to have in a zone-rushing scheme. McBride is an upright runner with legs constantly churning. Arm tackles won’t bring him down. Despite this, he doesn’t really run with power. McBride is also a below-average blocker and had zero presence in UAB’s passing game. Most concerning of all is his 5 fumbles in 12 games.
2023 OPPORTUNITY
One of the big talking points for the Vikings this offseason was that they want to release Dalvin Cook because he won’t take a pay cut. There was talk Cook would be traded to Miami, but when the Dolphins drafted Devon Achane those whispers died away. The problem I have with this idea is that the Vikings are in a window to compete now in a very weak NFC. I cannot help thinking that if the Vikings were going to cut Cook, they would have done it by now.
Even if Cook departs, I am not sure that McBride has the ability to pass up Alexander Mattison on the depth chart. McBride isn’t a good blocker or receiver. How people could expect DeWayne McBride to see the field as a rookie without those skills is beyond me.
2023 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
There are two scenarios that come into play when considering DeWayne McBride’s 2023 fantasy football outlook. If Dalvin Cook is cut from the Vikings and you ask me if McBride will be fantasy relevant, my answer is no. If Cook stays on the Vikings, that answer becomes hell freaking no!
TALENT
2023 OPPORTUNITY
2023 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
