The Minnesota Vikings are hoping whoever wins the QB battle between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy can take advantage of the weapons the team has in the passing game. Last season, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison didn’t produce at the level many expect from them.
Last season, Jefferson played 392 pass snaps for the Vikings, leading to an 80.5 overall PFF grade. Jefferson hauled in 84 receptions on 140 targets for 1,048 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Moreover, he averaged 12.5 yards per reception and generated 435 yards after the catch while having five drops.
Meanwhile, during the 2025 NFL season, Addison played 473 pass snaps for Minnesota, leading to a 64.9 overall PFF grade. Furthermore, he hauled in 42 receptions on 74 targets for 610 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Addison also averaged 14.5 yards per reception and generated 135 yards after the catch.
Despite last season’s production being slightly below expectations, Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated has Addison and Jefferson in his Top 5 wideout duos heading into the 2026 season, ranking them No. 5.
“There is some uncertainty with the partnership of Jefferson and Addison after a down 2025 season and the ongoing quarterback battle between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy,” Manzano wrote in a July 1 article.
“But this is a dominant duo when receiving competent quarterback play, evident from what they have done since the Vikings drafted Addison in 2023 to pair him with Jefferson, who still might be the league’s best receiver after delivering his sixth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season, despite the disastrous QB play in 2025.”
Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison Will Need Help From Their QB
Moreover, Manzano noted that for the Vikings to get the most out of their explosive wideout duo, it will come down to either Murray or McCarthy.
“If Murray can regain his top form or McCarthy shows vast improvement, there likely won’t be any debate about who’s the best wideout in the game,” Manzano added in his article. “Addison hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiving season in his three-year career, but his knack for stretching the field has given Jefferson plenty of beneficial matchups on the field.”
Ben Leber on the Future of Vikings WR Jordan Addison
Addison will be keen on having an impressive 2026 season, given that he’s looking for a long-term contract. Minnesota did pick up the fifth-year option, but new Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley will have to decide if the wideout is someone he wants to keep or eventually flip for either draft or younger assets.
Nonetheless, former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber was asked which two scenarios are likely to happen in the next 12 months: Addison gets a contract extension, or Minnesota decides it’s time to trade the wideout.
“I think it’s more realistic that he is traded,” Leber said in a June 23 video on his YouTube channel. “I just think that he’s due for a giant contract. Like we don’t if everything stops right now and you look at his numbers and all that stuff. The only comp that we have out of his draft class is Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He just got a fat deal right now.”
Vikings Land Strong Take on Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison