Grading J.J. McCarthy’s 2024 NFL Draft landing spot with Vikings

While fans may be the most interested in another rookie QB situation, how Minnesota handles McCarthy will probably be the most interesting situation to follow this season.

By adding Sam Darnold this offseason, head coach Kevin O’Connell helped paint a clearer picture of his expectations of his QB room for the 2024 season. With Darnold, he hopes for a veteran presence that can keep the seat warm for the first quarter of the season, and if the team wins a few games in that time, even better.

Once McCarthy earns enough reps at practice with the top unit and shows he can handle himself in game situations, then that handover of the starting QB role will happen, and no sooner. O’Connell doesn’t seem like the coach that will throw his new, shiny QB to the wolves just because he is a first-round pick.

Asking too much of McCarthy with his current set of weapons would be setting him up for failure. While you do have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison forming a solid combo at WR, T.J. Hockenson is still recovering from a torn ACL and Aaron Jones is now the starting RB after Alexander Mattison departed.

All in all, it isn’t a bad set of weapons for McCarthy to have, especially when you have a guy like Jefferson catching passes. If the offensive line can hold up, then McCarthy has a shot to produce – at times – in 2024, but don’t have your hearts set on anything impressive right away.

Year 1 expectations

A strategically-placed Week 6 bye week for the Vikings could be the changing of the guard from Darnold to McCarthy this year. Getting McCarthy a chance to go through the motions in the league, watch a few games from the sideline and understand what will be asked of him certainly can’t do any harm.

Expectations for McCarthy in his rookie season shouldn’t be too lofty, which is reflected in his 2024 stat projections below. A rookie signal caller joining a team that needs a long-term solution at QB but with no-playoffs expectations this season could give McCarthy a good chance to get his feet wet, but he could also struggle.

2024 Stat Projections – 3,187 passing yards, 17 passing TDs, 13 INTs, 156 rushing yards

Fantasy Football impact

Even if you are betting on McCarthy’s willingness to extend plays to give you a leg up in fantasy football, you should quickly take a 360 on that outlook. First of all, McCarthy likely won’t start the entire season, as Darnold should take the lead in the QB room, potentially until the team’s Week 6 bye.

Secondly, McCarthy will be tasked with many more responsibilities on the Vikings than when he was with Michigan, which likely will be overwhelming. A QB’s best friend is the ability to quickly process plays and schemes, which wasn’t necessarily something McCarthy was asked to do a ton.

All in all, don’t expect a ton out of McCarthy in terms of fantasy production, at least in his rookie season. From a dynasty perspective, McCarthy likely won’t deliver in his first year on your roster, so if you are looking to add him in your rookie drafts, expect his lineup contributions to come more in his second year and beyond.

Landing spot grade

Grade: B

It isn’t tough to see that McCarthy immediately joins Minnesota’s roster and becomes their best signal caller. While that isn’t a tough thing to accomplish, there are enough intangibles to build on that make McCarthy a dark horse success story.

Minnesota isn’t likely to compete this season, which allows McCarthy essentially a crash course in the league while he gets up to speed. While Jefferson and other competitors might grow tired of the lack of winning, McCarthy brings a blend of competitiveness and athleticism to the QB room that the Vikings were looking for.

Don’t expect any sort of revelations out of McCarthy that turn this offense around, at least not in his first year. Having been a rookie QB in the league at one point, O’Connell understands the mental hoops McCarthy is likely jumping through on a daily basis, which makes him the perfect coach to lead McCarthy down this path.