With Carson Wentz ruled out for the season and JJ McCarthy set to return, we take a look at how the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback change will impact fantasy football
16:27 ET, 28 Oct 2025
Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks Carson Wentz and JJ McCarthy high-five eachother
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Carson Wentz had been starting at quarterback in place of the injured JJ McCarthy since Week 3(Image: Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz will miss the remainder of the 2025 NFL season with a shoulder injury, ushering in the return of JJ McCarthy.
Wentz had been playing through a dislocated shoulder that included a torn labrum and fractured socket, according to ESPN. The 33-year-old stepped in for McCarthy, who began the season as Minnesota’s starting QB but was sidelined in Week 2 with an ankle sprain.
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The Vikings went 2-3 with Wentz as the starter, including a 37-10 trouncing on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers. The veteran signal-caller threw six touchdowns and five interceptions during that span.
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McCarthy is set to return in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions, his first action since the Vikings’ Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 2024 first-round draft pick was initially ruled out two to four weeks with a sprained ankle, but ended up missing five games.
Let’s dive into the fantasy football implications of Wentz’s season-ending injury and McCarthy’s looming return.
Fantasy football impact of Carson Wentz’s injury and JJ McCarthy’s return
Owned in just 11% of Sleeper leagues, Wentz won’t be missed by many fantasy managers, but his injury may come as welcome news to owners of Vikings skill players such as Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jordan Mason and more.
Jefferson, widely considered one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, did not reach his lofty standards in fantasy with Wentz at quarterback. In five games, Jefferson averaged 16.34 PPR points and failed to score a touchdown.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson rises to catch a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles
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Justin Jefferson is the all-time NFL leader in receiving yards per game (95.6)(Image: Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
On the season, Jefferson is WR16 in PPR leagues, well below where most would expect given his track record as one of the top assets in fantasy football. The sixth-year wide out has finished as WR6 or better in four of his five NFL seasons.
Unlike his counterpart, Addison connected with Wentz twice for scores and averaged 15.96 PPR points per game, a strong return for the Vikings’ WR2.
Mason, Minnesota’s starting running back, has broken 13+ PPR points just once this season, a two-touchdown game in the Vikings’ Week 3 blowout win against the Bengals. Week 8 brought Mason’s worst outing of the year (1.6 FPTS).
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While McCarthy is largely considered to be a better option than Wentz under center, much of that is based on the 22-year-old’s potential, rather than what he’s actually shown. In two career NFL starts, McCarthy logged 301 pass yards, three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing), and three interceptions.
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Simply put, there is not a big enough sample size to declare McCarthy superior to Wentz from a fantasy or football standpoint.
If McCarthy improves throughout the season, highly-owned Vikings fantasy assets will be worth keeping and starting in fantasy each week. If not, they’re interchangeable, including Jefferson.
After all, head coach Kevin O’Connell has been dubbed a “quarterback whisperer” that many believe will get the best out of McCarthy.