Sam Darnold Agrees to Deal With Vikings: Fantasy Football Impact & Takeaways (2024)

On Monday afternoon, reports trickled out that Sam Darnold had multiple suitors, including the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. By late Monday evening, we received news that Darnold had chosen to sign a one-year deal with the Vikings. Former Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons earlier in the day, so Darnold should presumably have a chance to start for the Vikings, though he’ll likely have competition (our own Thor Nystrom is pounding the table for them to find a way to draft Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy).

Let’s examine the immediate implications and fantasy impact of Darnold agreeing to terms with the Vikings.

Sam Darnold to Sign With Minnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold has agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Darnold could very well be the Vikings’ starting quarterback in Week 1 of the 2024 season.

When Kirk Cousins agreed to terms with the Falcons on Monday, the Vikings lost their starting quarterback of the last six years. Cousins made eight starts for Minnesota in 2024 before tearing his Achilles. Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall struggled to fill the QB void, and the Vikings went 3-6 to finish the season.

The Vikings are expected to take a quarterback at some point in April’s NFL Draft, but with the 11th pick of the first round, Minnesota would probably need to trade up to have a shot at any of the top four QB prospects: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy.

Book it. J.J. McCarthy to MIN if they can pull off a trade up. If MIN can help it Darnold won’t start a game this szn. https://t.co/dieJytIocU

— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) March 12, 2024

Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft, struggled in his three seasons with the Jets, completing 59.8% of his passes and averaging 6.6 yards per attempts, with 45 touchdown passes and 39 interceptions. The Jets went 13-25 in Darnold’s 38 starts.

The Panthers traded for Darnold in 2021, but he fared no better in his first year with his new team, throwing more interceptions (13) than TD passes (9) in 11 starts for Carolina that season. The Panthers brought in Baker Mayfield in 2022, and Darnold didn’t make his first start of the season until late November. The Panthers had grown disenchanted with Mayfield, and Darnold took over as Carolina’s starting quarterback for the last six games of the season. He played reasonably well, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt, with seven TD passes and three interceptions, as the Panthers went 4-2 in Darnold’s six 2022 starts.

Darnold signed a one-year deal with the 49ers in 2023 and made only one start, taking over for Brock Purdy in a Week 18 game that was meaningless to San Francisco. Purdy completed 16-of-21 passes against the Rams in that game for 189 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions in a 21-20 loss.

With only a one-year deal, Darnold isn’t being viewed as Minnesota’s quarterback of the future, but a successful stint with the QB-needy Vikings could put Darnold back on the map as an NFL starter. It’s possible Darnold isn’t the Vikings’ Week 1 starter and finds himself backing up a rookie, but even if that’s the case, Darnold has a better chance for playing time in Minnesota than he would have had anywhere else. Darnold will be reunited with former Jets teammate Josh McCown, who’s now the Vikings’ QB coach.

For fantasy purposes, Darnold will be regarded as a QB3 even if he opens the season as a starter. His career passing stats — a 60.9% completion rate, 6.5 yards per attempt, 63 TDs, 56 INTs — don’t offer much reason for optimism.

But Darnold is still only 26, and the Vikings offer him an impressive arsenal of pass-catching weaponry, with WRs Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and eventually TE T.J. Hockenson, after he recovers from ACL and MCL tears. Darnold can run a little bit, too, with 760 career rushing yards and 13 TD runs.

In dynasty formats, Darnold is worth holding in superflex leagues, and he may be worth rostering in 1QB leagues with large rosters. Darnold’s value in superflex leagues is now probably the equivalent of a late second-round or early-third round rookie draft pick.

Fantasy Football breakdowns of major moves

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Dynasty Free Agency News NFL Sam Darnold Kirk Cousins J.J. McCarthy Joshua Dobbs Nick Mullens Jaren Hall Caleb Williams Jayden Daniels Drake Maye Baker Mayfield Brock Purdy Justin Jefferson Jordan Addison T.J. Hockenson