The Minnesota Vikings are more or less set on the offensive side of the ball, at least when it comes to skill position players. Second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy is set to helm an offense featuring Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason & T.J. Hockenson. They’re set at offensive skill position players, so, unsurprisingly, they took a couple of depth players for their skill position players. Let’s dive into Tai Felton & Gavin Bartholomew for 2025 fantasy football!
| Rd | Pick | Player | Pos | College |
| 1 | 24 | Donovan Jackson | OG | Ohio State |
| 3 | 102 | Tai Felton | WR | Maryland |
| 5 | 139 | Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins | DL | Georgia |
| 6 | 201 | Kobe King | LB | Penn State |
| 6 | 202 | Gavin Bartholomew | TE | Pittsburgh |
Round 3, Pick 102: Tai Felton, Wide Receiver, Maryland (6’1″, 183 lbs)
TALENT
Nobody will ever accuse Tai Felton of having that dog in him. But it’s not his fault. At 6’1″ and 183 pounds, he isn’t built to take on bigger defensive backs. They big boy him at the point of attack, knock him off his route in press, and get thrown to the ground when he tries to block. Unfortunately, he isn’t a speedster, either. That isn’t to say he is slow (his 4.37s 40-yard dash precludes this). It is to say that defenders tend to stay in his pocket because they can prevent him from building up his speed.
However, as a receiver, he does have a path to relevancy in the NFL: he is very good with the ball in his hands. This is evidenced not only by his return abilities but also by his very good one-on-one jitterbug to get open moves. Maryland force-fed him manufactured touches to get him the ball to take advantage of this, allowing his good hands, plus contact balance and ability to slip tacklers, to do the hard part.
Ultimately, throw another lanky, speedy wide receiver on the pile. This draft is all underweight speedsters, and Tai Felton is no exception. Felton is good at getting open and getting the ball, provided that he is faster than the player across from him and that the player isn’t stronger than him. He gets bullied off his spot extremely easily, and he struggles with catches in traffic. His best path forward in the NFL is on special teams.
NFL Comparison: Tajae Sharpe
Pre-Draft Grade: 6th Round
2025 OPPORTUNITY
Depth Chart:
WR1 Justin Jefferson
WR2 Jordan Addison
WR3 Jalen Nailor
WR4 Tai Felton
WR5 Rondale Moore
WR6 Tim Jones
The Vikings aren’t set up to find space for another wide receiver in their depth chart, at least not one that will get significant target volume out of the gate. Justin Jefferson commands a 30% target share, and T.J. Hockenson & Jordan Addison split a 40% target share. Throw in Aaron Jones and his 15% target share, and you don’t have much for everyone else, with those four players taking 85% of the share. There isn’t much left over for Jalen Nailor, but never mind Tai Felton.
2025 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Despite going on day two, a pick that leans toward fantasy football relevance, I have zero interest in Tai Felton, as he’s more likely to return a punt for a touchdown this season than he is expected to get even 40 targets.
Round 6, Pick 202: Gavin Bartholomew, Tight End, Pitt (6’5″, 246 lbs)
TALENT
Bartholomew is primarily a blocker, though he does show soft hands and an ability to get the ball. He’s also a smooth athlete when he does have the football, and invites contact. But he runs in a straight line until someone stops him. There’s not a lot of wiggle and burst in his game. Unfortunately, for people trying to find a bit of fantasy football out of Bartholomew, he won’t garner the volume that matters, as he is best utilized as a blocker.
NFL Comparison: Hayden Hurst
Pre-Draft Grade: 7th Round
2025 OPPORTUNITY
Depth Chart:
TE1 T.J. Hockenson
TE2 Josh Oliver
TE3 Gavin Bartholomew
TE4 Ben Yurosek
Bartholomew is a Josh Oliver backup and future replacement. Oliver, who is one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, had 22 targets in 15 games last season.
2025 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Bartholomew has zero fantasy football relevance.
