MINNESOTA VIKINGS NEWS

Johnny Mundt - Short-yardage receiver in 2022 Mundt caught 19 of 21 targets for 140 yards and a touchdown while playing in all 17 games during the 2022 regular season.

Impact Mundt saw by far the most extensive playing time of his career after following Vikings first-year coach Kevin O'Connell to Minnesota this past offseason. The 28-year-old tight end also accumulated more receptions and receiving yards than he did over the first six seasons of his career with the Rams. Mundt still finished the season in a reserve role behind prolific receiving tight end T.J. Hockenson, who was acquired via trade from Detroit midway through the season. With 2019 second-round pick Irv Smith currently set to become a free agent this offseason, Mundt could be in line to serve as Minnesota's No. 2 tight end in 2023.

JANUARY 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Irv Smith Jr. - Set to hit free agency Over eight regular-season games, Smith recorded 25 receptions (on 36 targets) for 182 yards and two touchdowns in 2022.

Impact Smith got out to a solid start over the first seven games of the season before landing on IR with a high-ankle sprain. The 2019 second-round pick then was activated ahead of the regular-season finale, though he'd already lost his No. 1 tight end spot to T.J. Hockenson, whom the Vikings acquired via trade from Detroit just before Smith went on injured reserve Nov. 1. Smith then finished the campaign by catching one of two targets while playing just four offensive snaps in the wild-card loss to the Giants. He thus finished the 2022 campaign with the lowest receiving marks of his career outside of the 2021 season, when he sat out every game due to a meniscus injury. Smith now is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, leaving it possible he isn't retained by the Vikings.

JANUARY 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

K.J. Osborn - Stacks up another solid season Osborn caught 60 of 90 targets for 650 yards and five touchdowns while playing all 17 games in the 2022 regular season.

Impact The 25-year-old reprised his role as the Vikings' No. 3 wideout behind superstar Justin Jefferson and longtime veteran Adam Thielen. However, Osborn finished the season as the team's fourth receiving option after that pair and tight end T.J. Hockenson, who accumulated 60 receptions for 519 yards after being acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline. The third-year wideout still posted almost the exact same stat line from his breakout 2021 (50-655-7 on 82 targets). Osborn also capped off the season on a solid note by hauling in two of three targets for 20 yards and his sixth touchdown between regular season and playoffs during the wild-card loss to the Giants. With Thielen seemingly on a decline over the past two seasons, Osborn could be in line for a bigger role heading into the final year of his rookie contract in 2023.

JANUARY 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

NFL odds: Divisional round betting trends featuring Cowboys, Patrick Mahomes

As we head into the divisional round of the playoffs, FOX Sports Research dove into historical data to give you the best betting trends.

JANUARY 20, 2023

Vikings fire defensive coordinator Donatell after rough year

The Minnesota Vikings have fired defensive coordinator Ed Donatell in an unsurprising decision on the veteran coach after a dismal finish by his defense

JANUARY 20, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vikings' O'Connell still evaluating defense, Donatell status

Kevin O’Connell enjoyed a strong debut as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings with a record-setting wide receiver, a productive offense and a division title

JANUARY 18, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jim Harbaugh calls Michigan president to say he's staying

Jim Harbaugh is staying at Michigan, a decision he personally gave the school president on Monday to end another round of speculation that he would return to the NFL

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vikings face abrupt finish, roster churn after all that fun

The end hit harder for the Minnesota Vikings than usual

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Giants coach Daboll undaunted by 3rd meeting with Eagles

New York Giants fans have Super Bowl hopes for the first time in years and first-year coach Brian Daboll is being compared to Bill Parcells, who turned around the Giants in the 198...

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nick Muse - Inks another deal with Minnesota Muse signed a reserve/future contract with the Vikings on Monday.

Impact Muse bounced back and forth between Minnesota's active roster and practice squad this season. Over 10 appearances, the rookie seventh-rounder served as a core special-teamer while playing just two offensive snaps all season. Muse will look to carve out a larger role on offense heading into the 2023 campaign.

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Trishton Jackson - Sticking with Minnesota The Vikings signed Jackson to a reserve/future contract Monday.

Impact Jackson spent the entirety of the 2022 season on Minnesota's practice squad after he failed to carve out a spot on the active roster during the preseason. The 2020 undrafted wideout will now sign his second reserve/future contract with the Vikings in as many years. Jackson, who never saw the field while on the Rams' active roster during his rookie season, still has yet to make his NFL debut.

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

What's next for the Vikings, and how close are they to being true contenders?

The Vikings went 13-4 but lost in the first round of the NFL playoffs. What are their options this offseason? What's the recipe for building...

JANUARY 16, 2023

Blake Proehl - Gets new deal Proehl signed a reserve/future contract with the Vikings on Monday, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Impact Proehl spent the 2022 campaign on the team's practice squad after doing the same in 2021. The 24-year-old joined Minnesota as a UDFA, and although he's remained with the team since, he has yet to suit up during the regular season. He'll now get another opportunity to make that happen next year.

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Putting the 'super' in Super Wild Card Weekend

The collective margin of victory has been 36 points across five games so far, a showcase in how postseason football is supposed to work.

JANUARY 16, 2023

Analysis: Bills, Bengals look shaky in wins, set up rematch

The Bengals-Bills rematch coming next week almost didn’t happen

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

NFL odds: Jaguars stun Chargers, one of the worst bad beats of all time and more

Not only did the Jaguars stun the Chargers, but in the gambling world, it was also one of the craziest bad beats of all time. Read the detai...

JANUARY 16, 2023

Adam Thielen - Gains 50 yards in playoff loss Thielen had three receptions (four targets) for 50 yards in Sunday's 31-24 wild-card round loss to the Giants.

Impact Thielen was Minnesota's second-leading receiver despite finishing fourth in targets Sunday. The 32-year-old appeared to lose a step in 2022, experiencing a decline in receiving yards (716) and touchdowns (six) despite playing four more games than last season. The deadline acquisition of T.J. Hockenson also cut into the veteran wideout's production. Thielen's natural decline coupled with a smaller role on offense should have the former fantasy star's stock down in 2023.

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Super Wild Card Weekend highlights: Bengals survive Ravens; Giants, Bills win

NFL Super Wild Card Weekend continues Sunday with the Ravens battling the Bengals. Here are the top plays!

JANUARY 16, 2023

Ranking all 14 NFL playoff teams as Super Bowl LVII contenders

The NFL playoff field is set. Geoff Schwartz separates the contenders from the pretenders on the path to Super Bowl LVII.

JANUARY 16, 2023

Dalvin Cook - Totals 70 yards in playoff loss Cook rushed 15 times for 60 yards and caught six of seven targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 31-24 playoff loss to the Giants.

Impact Cook had an eerily similar line to his previous meeting with the Giants when he was held to 64 rushing yards on 14 carries in Week 16 of the regular season. The 27-year-old was able to record his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season with 10 total touchdowns in another strong fantasy campaign. Cook hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, and he should remain one of the key offensive cogs for an explosive Minnesota offense in 2023.

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Daniel Jones plays like franchise QB in Giants' upset of Vikings

In the biggest game of his career, Daniel Jones was at his best. Not only did he lead the Giants to victory but he proved he's their franchi...

JANUARY 16, 2023

T.J. Hockenson - Leading receiver in losing effort Hockenson caught 10 of 11 targets for 129 yards in Sunday's 31-24 wild-card round loss to the Giants.

Impact The Giants were able to limit Justin Jefferson's (7-47-0) big-play ability by shading safety help in his direction, which opened up huge holes in the middle of the field for Hockenson to feast on. It was a bittersweet finish to the 2022 season for the receiving tight end, who produced new highs in receptions (86) and receiving yards (914) across 17 games between the Lions and Vikings. Hockenson thrived following the midseason trade to Minnesota, and he remains under contract next year, putting him in the upper echelon of tight ends heading into 2023.

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Justin Jefferson - Big plays limited in loss Jefferson corralled seven of nine targets for 47 yards in Sunday's 31-24 playoff loss to the Giants.

Impact Jefferson finished second in targets and receptions behind T.J. Hockenson (10-129-0), but he failed to record a reception greater than nine yards. While this wasn't a poor fantasy line, there were certainly higher expectations for the league's leading receiver in 2022. The 23-year-old finished the regular season with a gaudy receiving line of 128-1,809-8 across 17 games. Jefferson will enter the final year of his rookie contract looking to continue the steady improvement he has shown in each of his first three seasons in the NFL.

JANUARY 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE