Hello again, sports fans. We’re back with another season of putting together a consensus power ranking for the Vikings each week. Coming off a blowout loss to the Chargers, this could get ugly.
Let’s talk to it (rankings are hyperlinked for maximum clickage):
The Rankings
Key excerpt: “The good news is that J.J. McCarthy appears set to return in Week 9 against Detroit after missing five straight games. The bad news is that the pass protection remains a huge issue.”
The Athletic/New York Times — 21st (last week: 20th)
Key excerpt: “Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones are a combined 12-3 right now with the Seahawks and Colts, respectively. Both were in Minnesota’s quarterback room last year but were let go to smooth the way for J.J. McCarthy, who had a rough first two games and hasn’t played since due to a high ankle sprain.”
Key excerpt: “Acquired via trade from the 49ers, (Jordan) Mason has proved to be a powerful and resourceful runner. He is averaging 2.02 yards after contact per carry, part of the reason his first-down rate is 28.4%, which is 11th best in the NFL and by far the highest for a Vikings running back since coach Kevin O’Connell arrived in 2022.”
Key excerpt: “Things aren’t going to get easier for the Vikings. They have the toughest remaining schedule in the league and increased uncertainty at quarterback. The defense is 11th in EPA per play allowed, but it still has the potential to be one of the best in the NFL. The waters in Minnesota are murky.”
Key excerpt: “The season will succeed or fail with J.J. McCarthy, if he can successfully stay on the field.”
CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) — 15th (last week: 16th)
Key excerpt: “They have a huge division game at Detroit against the Lions. They will have J.J. McCarthy back for that one, but he has to be better than he was before the injury.”
The Score — 21st (last week: 20th)
Key excerpt: “Week 1 at Bears (27-24). A late comeback win over an up-and-coming division rival was an incredibly exciting way to start J.J. McCarthy’s tenure as a starter. Unfortunately, it’s been mostly downhill from there. Can the second-year quarterback’s impending return from injury help the Vikings salvage their season?”
Sports Illustrated — 19th (last week: 19th)
Key excerpt: “Now would be a good time to sell, especially if they can find a taker for tight end T.J. Hockenson and massive cap hits looming in 2026 and 2027.”
USA Today (Nate Davis) — 22nd (last week: 21st)
Key excerpt: “They lost QBs Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones in the offseason … and have already lost more games in 2025 (4) than they did in 2024 (3). Coincidence?”
Yahoo! Sports
Key excerpt: “They’re in danger of being well out of the playoff race before Thanksgiving unless J.J. McCarthy can come back and save the day. That’s asking a lot.”
New York Post — 21st (last week: 20th)
Key excerpt: None provided.
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Average ranking: 20.0 (220 ranking points/11 rankings| High: 15th; Low: 22nd)
Spare thoughts: I think I’m most surprised that the Vikings weren’t dinged more for getting blown out. It was against the Chargers, who are an excellent team, so while I figured that it shouldn’t hurt the Vikings much in the rankings, I had almost zero faith it would actually play out that way. I guess I can say I’m pleasantly surprised. Skol.
What do you think? Join the conversation below (and recommend other power rankings to add if you wish)!
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