J.J. McCarthy

McCarthy was the fifth of six quarterbacks drafted in the first round this year, but he might be in the best position of all. The Vikings offer a terrific setup with wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, tight end T.J. Hockenson and running back Aaron Jones all playing for coach Kevin O’Connell, who provided 631 pass attempts last year (4th in the league) and 672 the year prior (3rd). The 21-year-old QB may get time to develop, as the Vikings signed Sam Darnold this offseason. At 6-3, 219, McCarthy gets impressive velocity on his throws but still needs to work on his mechanics. While noted for his skill throwing over the middle at Michigan, he was less consistent on passes outside the numbers and had some issues when he needed to throw deep balls with touch. He also wasn’t asked to do much in Michigan’s run-heavy offense, averaging 22.1 pass attempts per game last season for a dominant team. McCarthy is an excellent athlete who ran for 508 yards and eight TDs the past two seasons, and he should provide some rushing stats to boost his fantasy scoring in the NFL. When that will happen is uncertain, as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said the Vikings don't want to rush McCarthy's development. Once he's under center, the weapons around him and offensive system should make McCarthy a fantasy option in two-QB leagues even if he struggles with accuracy and processing. Read Past Outlooks