The Minnesota Vikings had a really good preseason debut against the Houston Texans, getting the win by a score of 20-10. We saw quarterback J.J. McCarthy get the start and he played relatively well, leading the Vikings to a field goal. Ultimately, he played just 13 snaps and did so without the two best players on the roster in Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw.
season stock watch
Stock up: WR Lucky Jackson
One of the biggest questions with the Vikings was how the wide receiver depth would shake out. How much could we actually take from how these guys were rotating in during training camp? It turns out quite a bit. Lucky Jackson, had been working in with the first team as the next guy up after Jalen Nailor, and that continued on Saturday. The WR hierarchy after Nailor appears to be as follows:
- Lucky Jackson
- Tai Felton
- Thayer Thomas
- Jeshaun Jones
Jackson being the guy at WR4 is a good sign for him not just making the roster, but also being a contributor during the season.
— Avion Plummer (@Avionp2418) August 10, 2025
Stock down: RB Ty Chandler
Chandler wasn't too bad, but the production wasn't there. He carried the ball five times and netted just five yards, but also caught the ball three times for 20 yards. His explosiveness is still there, but the vision isn't there like it needs to be. If he wants to make the team, Chandler is going to need to improve in that area, which could prove to be difficult.
Stock up: QB Sam Howell
Throughout training camp, Howell's been a major topic of conversation. He's shown a lot of struggles during practice, especially his slow processing. One thing that I've mentioned multiple times when discussing Howell is that he's a gamer, and that came to fruition on Saturday. Howell proved that he was the case, as he looked great throughout the day.
Howell went 11-13 for 105 yards, and made good decisions across the board. With the frustration surrounding the backup quarterback spot so far, Howell did a lot to ease those concerns.
Stock up: QB Max Brosmer
I've been really high on the idea of Brosmer in Kevin O'Connell's offense since he signed as an undrafted free agent. Brosmer had made some intriguing throws across training camp and that came to fruition during the game. One of the big things that Brosmer brings to the table is his ability to throw with anticipation. Brosmer was at his best doing that across the middle of the field, and it's coming to fruition in the NFL as well. He could be playing his way onto the roster if this keeps up.
Max Brosmer throws with anticipation and ball placement with a free rusher barreling down pic.twitter.com/AHyQdDNFzM
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) August 9, 2025
Stock down: QB Brett Rypien
On a day when the Vikings' quarterbacks all played well, Rypien was on the struggle bus. He didn't play very long in the third quarter, and it showed. He went 1-4 passing for six yards. His process was good on an overall level, including tucking the ball and running with it when nothing was open
Stock up: DT Elijah Williams
Going into training camp, there was one player that I was keeping a sharp eye on: defensive tackle Elijah Williams. He was signed after rookie minicamp, which gives them significantly better odds to make the roster.
On the day, Williams got in the game for 21 snaps in the second half, and was a wrecking ball. He garnered four pressures on 15 pass rush snaps, and was consistently in the backfield disrupting the quarterback. It's still a tough path to making the roster for Williams, but he took a big step forward.
Stock down: NT Taki Taimani
As mentioned above, with the defensive line group, it's a tough group to crack. Last season, Taimani was excellent during the preseason and make the opening day roster. When healthy, Taimani was rotating in on the defensive line.
Unfortunately for Taimani, he has taken a step back in the pecking order, not playing until the second half, and getting on the field for just 12 snaps. That's not a recipe for success when it comes to making the team.
Stock up: EDGE Gabe Murphy
Last season, Murphy was primed to be the next UDFA star for the Vikings. Unfortunately, a knee injury kept him on injured reserve until midseason, and he played in just 35 snaps as a rookie. Across 30 snaps on Saturday, Murphy was great. He registered 1.5 sacks and five pressures on the day, and was explosive getting around the offensive tackle.
What was really interesting is seeing how Murphy won against blockers. His arm length isn't great, and he was able to mitigate that disparity much easier than expected. With that kind of performance, he feels like a certainty to make the roster.
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