What J.J. McCarthy's knee injury means in fantasy football: Is Sam Darnold suddenly a sleeper?
We've got one of our first big injuries of the NFL preseason that will affect fantasy football: Minnesota Vikings rookie QB J.J. McCarthy, who could have been the starter for the beginning of the 2024 season, has a torn meniscus in his right knee that will require surgery.
That means Sam Darnold is your likely starter for the team, which ... isn't the worst thing for this Vikings squad. I'll get into that as we break down how McCarthy's injury affects fantasy football prospects for the near future.
Let's dive in with a look on the stock rising and falling for the players involved.
Stock down: J.J. McCarthy, but he's still a good dynasty pick
Obviously, you want to see a rookie QB be healthy in his first year, but I didn't get the impression he'd start right away for Minnesota. I'd say he's still a good dynast pick for down the road, and maybe he comes back at some point this season and proves why he was a first-rounder in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Stock steady: Justin Jefferson will still thrive
JJ won't have the other JJ throwing to him, but that's a good thing. I'd rather have Darnold -- a veteran who knows to get Jefferson the ball at all times -- than a rookie under center. Jefferson was a first-round pick in fantasy and still is.
Stock up: Sam Darnold might be a sneaky-good QB2
Here's the thing: sometimes, the QB might not be GOOD, but he's surrounded by GOOD. Ergo, Darnold could have some good games when Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson all play together.
More Fantasy!
Fantasy football snake draft strategy: How to approach each first-round pick (and beyond) in 2024
This article originally appeared on For The Win: What J.J. McCarthy's knee injury means in fantasy football: Is Sam Darnold suddenly a sleeper?
