The Minnesota Vikings have arguably been the biggest surprise of the 2024 NFL season, with preseason expectations for them suggesting they were amid a rebuild. That certainly has not been the case, and the Vikings stand second in the NFC North with an 11-2 record.
Minnesota is one win away from being a nailed-on wild-card team and aims to catch the 12-1 Detroit Lions to win the North. Standing in their way in Week 15 are the Chicago Bears, who after a 4-2 start have fallen hard, losing seven games in a row.
Given the Vikings’ high-powered offense, their weapons are hugely important in fantasy football, which is now in the witching hour. With that in mind, let’s take a look at their main weapons:
Vikings’ Week 15 Fantasy Outlooks & Predictions
QB: Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold went from being in a competition with rookie J.J. McCarthy to being a Comeback Player of the Year Award contender, leading Minnesota to its best start since 2009. Darnold is with a team that is playing to his strengths and he has the tools at hand to be very effective.
The Vikings QB went huge in Week 14, throwing for 347 yards and 5 TDs as the Vikings completely doused the flames of Kirk Cousins’ return to the Twin Cities. Darnold recorded 34.58 fantasy points in the win and even against a defense allowing only 13.29 fantasy points to QBs in 2024, he is a safe start.
When he faced the Bears in Week 12, Sam Darnold threw for 330 yards and 2 TDs, good for 21 fantasy points. You can certainly see that happening again on Monday.
Sam Darnold’s points range: 5-35; Prediction: 21
RBs: Aaron Jones & Cam Akers
The Vikings have the 17th-best rushing attack by yards in 2024 with 1,471 yards but are tied with Tennessee at 28th for rushing TDs with 7. Minnesota only really has one RB you should consider starting in Week 15, with Aaron Jones taking the lion’s share of snaps.
Jones is a must-start in any game given his number of touches in both the rushing and passing games, as one of the few RBs in the league whose performance is unaffected by game script. Jones has 893 yards and 4 TDs on the ground to go with 302 yards and 2 TDs through the air. Against a Bears D that is 24th against RBs after conceding an average of 24.48 fantasy points per game in 2024, Jones is a very good start.
Behind Jones, Cam Akers gets the nod as the RB2 over Ty Chandler but neither are particularly good streamers here. Akers hasn’t scored a rushing TD since Week 5 in London, and that game saw Aaron Jones leave the field in the first half. Akers recorded a receiving TD in Week 11, which was the only other game this season in which he has broken 10 points in HPPR leagues.
With three consecutive weeks of under four points, Akers cannot start for you in fantasy. The same goes for Ty Chandler, who hasn’t broken 1 point since Week 11.
Aaron Jones’ points range: 10-25; Prediction: 15.5 (HPPR)
Cam Akers’ points range: 1-11; Prediction: 4
Other fantasy outlooks and predictions you might like: Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots
WRs: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison & Jalen Nailor
The Vikings’ receiving corps is arguably among the top three in the NFL, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison staking a claim for the No. 1 spot in Week 14. Jefferson is a must-start against anyone and given he just broke an unusual six-game TD drought with a double-TD performance, he could be about to rain points for his fantasy managers.
Meanwhile, Addison is coming off a week where he recorded 8 catches for 133 yards and 3 TDs, and has recorded 7 TDs since Week 9. You have to start Addison given his form, as while he is unlikely to repeat his Week 14, 35.30 points (HPPR) again here, he should break 15 if he catches another touchdown.
Jalen Nailor started the season strong, given Addison missed two of the first three games of the season. The issue for Nailor is that with so much competition for targets, he simply doesn’t get the volume to start in fantasy. While he has recorded 2 TDs since Week 3 (5 on the season), he hasn’t broken 10 points again.
Justin Jefferson’s points range: 7-29; Prediction: 18 (HPPR)
Jordan Addison’s points range: 5-35; Prediction: 12
Jalen Nailor’s points range: 0-18; Prediction: 2.5
TE: T.J. Hockenson
Since returning from a serious knee injury, T.J. Hockenson has added an extra pair of very safe hands for Sam Darnold. Hockenson is getting decent volume, with 27 receptions for 299 yards and 43.4 fantasy points across 6 games, but he is yet to get into the endzone in 2024.
This lack of touchdowns is a worry and likely has fantasy managers a bit frustrated, especially after seeing Minnesota TE3 Johnny Mundt get a simple TD in Week 13. However, you have got to keep the faith that it will happen and it could easily be this week.
Let’s go with that happening against Chicago in what could be a high-powered Vikings display in Minnesota.
T.J. Hockenson’s points range: 4-17; Prediction: 14.5
Also read: Week 15 Defense Rankings & Streamers ft. Cardinals, Falcons & Commanders