2024 Pass/Rush Stats
YDS
0
TD
0
INT
0
YDS
0
TD
0
2025 Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
McCarthy was supposed to compete with Sam Darnold last season, but a meniscus tear in his right knee during training camp ended his rookie season. McCarthy was healthy for OTAs and is expected to start Week 1 this season. The Vikings must be confident of that, because they let Darnold leave and settled for Sam Howell and Brett Rypien as backups. There's still the question of whether McCarthy is ready for the NFL after spending his apprentice year rehabbing instead of practicing. The 10th pick in the 2024 draft, McCarthy has a strong arm and good mobility, but his mechanics drew criticism from scouts pre-draft, and he averaged only 22.4 pass attempts per game in his two seasons as a starter for loaded Michigan teams. Fortunately, Vikings wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison cover a lot of ills, and McCarthy is in a good situation under coach Kevin O’Connell, who gave Darnold 545 attempts last season. With the addition of RB Aaron Jones and subtraction of QB Kirk Cousins, the Vikings’ pass percentage dropped to 56.6 last season (from about 64 percent the previous two years). Minnesota remade an offensive line that struggled to protect Darnold late in the season, signing C Ryan Kelly and RG Will Fries, two of the top free-agent linemen, before drafting G Donovan Jackson in the first round. The Vikings also hope to have star LT Christian Darrisaw healthy after he suffered an ACL tear Week 8 last season. McCarthy should even add some rushing stats, assuming his knee holds up, as he’s an excellent athlete who ran for 632 yards and 10 TDs during his college career. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Signed a four-year, $21.85 million contract with the Vikings in July of 2024.
Won't face Patriots
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said Thursday that McCarthy will not suit up for Saturday's preseason contest against New England.
ANALYSIS
McCarthy played one drive during Minnesota's preseason opener against the Texans, completing four of seven passes for 30 yards while rushing once for eight yards, but Sam Howell will get the start versus the Patriots. During the Vikings' exhibition finale versus Tennessee on Friday, Aug. 22, McCarthy could get a chance to handle more reps. Justin Jefferson (hamstring) remains absent from practice but will be re-evaluated next week, while Jordan Addison (suspension) will be eligible to play the remainder of the preseason but will begin the regular season with a three-game suspension.
McCarthy played one drive during Minnesota's preseason opener against the Texans, completing four of seven passes for 30 yards while rushing once for eight yards, but Sam Howell will get the start versus the Patriots. During the Vikings' exhibition finale versus Tennessee on Friday, Aug. 22, McCarthy could get a chance to handle more reps. Justin Jefferson (hamstring) remains absent from practice but will be re-evaluated next week, while Jordan Addison (suspension) will be eligible to play the remainder of the preseason but will begin the regular season with a three-game suspension.
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2024 NFL Game Log
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2024 J.J. McCarthy Split Stats
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Measurables Review
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How do J.J. McCarthy's measurables compare to other quarterbacks?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 3"Weight
219 lbsShuttle Time
4.23 secCone Drill
6.82 secHand Length
9.00 inArm Length
31.63 in
2024 Fantasy Outlook
McCarthy was the fifth of six quarterbacks drafted in the first round this spring, and while he may be in the best position of them all for the long haul, his rookie year will be a redshirt season following meniscus surgery in August. The Vikings have standout pass catcher Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson -- all under contract through at least 2026 -- at the disposal of coach Kevin O'Connell, whose offense provided 631 pass attempts last year (4th in the league) and 672 the year prior (3rd). At 6-3, 219, McCarthy gets impressive velocity on his throws but will still need to work on his mechanics once he's finished rehabbing his knee. While noted for his skill throwing over the middle at Michigan, he was less consistent on passes outside the numbers and had some issues when he needed to throw deep balls with touch. He also wasn't asked to do much in Michigan's run-heavy offense, averaging 22.1 pass attempts per game last season for a dominant team. McCarthy is an excellent athlete who ran for 508 yards and eight TDs the past two seasons, and he should provide some rushing stats to boost his fantasy scoring in the NFL. The typical recovery timeline for a meniscus repair would have him ready well before the start of Minnesota's offseason program next spring, at which point he'll be younger than many of the incoming rookie QBs in the 2025 draft class (he turns 22 in January).
More Fantasy News
Plays one drive Saturday
McCarthy completed four of seven passes for 30 yards and added eight yards on his only carry in Saturday's 20-10 preseason win over the Texans.
ANALYSIS
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Set to play Saturday
McCarthy is slated to start Saturday's preseason opener against the Texans, Steven Louis Goldstein of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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In line to play preseason opener
McCarthy is expected to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Texans, Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
ANALYSIS
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No issues with knee
McCarthy has been participating in spring practices without any issues in his surgically repaired knee, Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
ANALYSIS
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No limitations at voluntary OTAs
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday at the start of Minnesota's voluntary OTAs that McCarthy (knee) will participate in "full" with "no limitations," Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Inconsistent in camp
McCarthy has struggled at times during training camp, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
Fowler specifically stated that McCarthy has struggled against Minnesota's first-team defense, showing inconsistent technique and fundamentals. He also has reportedly struggled to throw with touch consistently, instead using too much velocity in certain situations. Nevertheless, coach Kevin O'Connell and receiver Jordan Addison have both expressed confidence in McCarthy's ability, suggesting he's working hard to make progress and continues to play with confidence.
Fowler specifically stated that McCarthy has struggled against Minnesota's first-team defense, showing inconsistent technique and fundamentals. He also has reportedly struggled to throw with touch consistently, instead using too much velocity in certain situations. Nevertheless, coach Kevin O'Connell and receiver Jordan Addison have both expressed confidence in McCarthy's ability, suggesting he's working hard to make progress and continues to play with confidence.