The Vikings could have an explosive offense during the 2026 season led by the newly acquired Kyler Murray and offensive minded head coach Kevin O’Connell. The personnel on offense that those two will work with will also loom large in terms of dictating how good the Vikings will be on offense during the 2026 campaign. I have gone into detail assessing the offensive line personnel of the team and here I will go into detail analyzing the skill position personnel of the team.
The skill position grouping for the Vikings is highlighted by superstar wide out Justin Jefferson who is arguably the top wide receiver in the NFL. Jefferson is however coming off a career worst season where the Vikings had poor QB play and Jefferson’s numbers noticeably dipped as a result. With the onboarding of Kyler Murray along with QB JJ McCarthy going into year 2 on the job I expect Jefferson to have a big bounce back season that ranks up there with any wide out in the NFL.
Currently listed as #2 on the Vikings’ wide receiver depth chart is 2023 1st rounder Jordan Addison who also had a down year during the 2025 campaign as Minnesota had mostly poor QB play. Addison as a first round pick had a decent rookie season but then looked strong in year 2 with Sam Darnold ranking in nearly the top third among all wide outs according to Pro Football Focus. Addison however dropped off noticeably in year 3 ranking in the below average to well below average range among players at his position. Addison feels like a solid but not spectacular WR2 in the modern NFL but there is a chance he could break out and have a career year in 2026 with newly acquired QB Kyler Murray.
With Addison’s inconsistencies and lack of an explosive ceiling thus far the Vikings have acquired former 49ers’ standout wide receiver Jauan Jennings to add to the wide receiver depth chart and potentially challenge Addison for the secondary wide out role to Jefferson. Jennings is known for producing at a borderline elite level during the 2024 season for the 49ers where he was remarkable grading in the top 15% among all wide outs in the NFL while accumulating nearly 1000 yards. Outside of that season Jennings has graded in the below average range in every other season he has played as of now. However, Jennings’ standout 2024 season was the only season where he was able to take starter snaps, perhaps he can emerge as a standout for the Vikings.
The Vikings have one noteworthy name currently listed as a reserve in their wide receiver unit who could step into the starting lineup and/or at least be a high-end backup for the team. 2025 3rd rounder Tai Felton was drafted pretty highly and was a remarkable college player who hardly played as a rookie. Given his high draft standing and elite collegiate play, Felton could potentially provide the Vikings with a high-level wide receiver to complement/join the trio of Jefferson/Addison/Jennings.
At the tight end spot, the Vikings are led by veteran former first rounder T.J Hockenson who is among the better if not among the best overall tight ends in the sport today. Hockenson graded in or around the top ten if not the top three among all qualified tight ends in five straight seasons since his rookie year before of course noticeably tailing off during the 2025 season like many other Vikings’ offensive players did as the team had poor QB in 2025. I fully expect Hockenson, the two-time pro bowler, to return to borderline elite to elite form during this upcoming season with the addition of Kyler Murray and with the growth of JJ McCarthy.
The Vikings have perhaps the best overall #2 tight end in the NFL in Josh Oliver complementing Hockenson in the unit and the duo leads one of the premier if not the premier tight end unit in the NFL. Oliver may end up proving to be a better overall player than Hockenson as Oliver graded in the top ten among all qualified tight ends in each of his first three seasons in the NFL, albeit taking reserve snaps. Oliver still even graded in the above average range during the 2025 season where there was a huge offensive drop off with the Vikings. As of now Oliver is one of the best reserve players not just at his position but in totality across the NFL.
At running back, the team also has one of the better if not one of the best units in the sport led by veteran Aaron Jones. Although Jones is not quite in the class with the Christian McCaffrey’s, Derrick Henry’s, DeVon Achane’s, and Bijan Robinson’s of the world for being the best overall back in the NFL, he is certainly the next closest thing and is a very comparable player to Saquon Barkely in that regard. However, Jones is coming off a career worst season just like many Vikings’ offensive players are coming off career worst years as well. Jones will also turn 32 years old towards the end of next season so it remains to be seen if he can recapture his borderline elite form of year’s past.
Because of Jones’ career worst season along with his age, the depth that the Vikings have at running back will loom large heading into next season for the team. Jordan Mason may eventually transition to the #1 role out of the backfield for the Vikings this upcoming season and has shown a ton of promise in the NFL. During Masons’ 2022 rookie season with the 49ers Pro Football Focus graded him as the best overall running back in the sport albeit in limited snaps. During the following season Mason graded in the top six in that regard in once again limited reserve snaps. During the next two seasons where Mason took more snaps that were resembling that of a starter, Mason graded in the above average range among players at his position although only slightly so. While 2023 undrafted free agent Zavier Scott looked solid as a rookie although not playing since, and the team also drafted Demond Claiborne in the 6th round of the 2026 draft to add to the unit.
Overall, the Vikings have a lethal combination of skill position players that ranks up there with any in the sport, they have the high-end talent and the depth at the skill positions, and one could argue they have maybe the premier grouping of skill position players in the NFL. A breakdown of the Vikings’ skill position grouping can be found below.
2026 Vikings’ Notable Wide Recievers
WR1 – Justin Jefferson – A to A+, arguably top wide out in the NFL
WR2 – Jordan Addison – C+ to B-, 2023 1st rounder, could still potentially improve
W3 – Jauan Jennings – B-, borderline elite in sole season as starter, has struggled otherwise
WR4 – Tai Felton – 2025 3rd rounder, barely played as rookie
2026 Vikings’ Notable Tight Ends
TE – TJ Hockenson – B+ to A-
TE – Josh Oliver – A- in reserve snaps, likely best #2 tight end in the NFL
2026 Vikings’ Notable Running Backs
HB1 – Aaron Jones – B+ to A-, career worst year in ’25, now aging
HB2 – Jordan Mason – B+
