Darnold completed 14 of 31 passes for 179 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's 23-17 win over the Jets. He also rushed five times for 11 yards and lost a fumble.
Darnold experienced significant struggles for the first time this season, as he combined to complete only nine of his 22 passes to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. There were several potential explanations for the down performance, as the Jets are a tough defensive matchup and Darnold also suffered an apparent chest injury midway through the first quarter that caused him to miss one play. In addition, the Vikings jumped ahead early, causing the offense to limit its aggressiveness for much of the game. Darnold will have a chance to rest from any lingering soreness as Minnesota will head into a Week 6 bye.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: QBs to Start
Rotowire
Darnold comes into Week 5 having scored at least 23.9 Fantasy points in three games in a row against the 49ers, Texans and Packers, and now he faces another tough test against the Jets in London. It's another revenge game for Darnold in a difficult matchup since the Jets are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. But the Jets have faced Brock Purdy, Will Levis, Jacoby Brissett and Bo Nix to open the season, and I'm not benching Darnold while he's this hot. I still consider Darnold a No. 1 quarterback in all leagues in Week 5.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Overcomes turnovers in win
Rotowire
Darnold completed 20 of 28 passes for 275 yards with three touchdowns and one interception and added seven carries for 15 yards in the Vikings' 31-29 win over the Packers on Sunday. He also lost a fumble.
Darnold and the Vikings appeared well on their way to another impressive victory during a first half in which they jumped out to a 28-7 lead with help of the quarterback's pair of touchdown tosses to Jordan Addison (29 yards) and Justin Jefferson (14 yards). However, Darnold played a part in aiding Green Bay's comeback in the second half, tossing an interception at the Packers' two-yard line and then losing the handle on the ball during a sack at his own 24-yard line early in the fourth quarter. The latter mistake led to a Green Bay touchdown, but he was able to subsequently helm one more scoring drive that culminated in a field goal and essentially proved to be the difference in the game. Darnold will be striving to build on what was a season-high passing yardage total in a Week 5 matchup against the Jets in London next Sunday.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: QBs to Start
Rotowire
Darnold looks awesome right now in Kevin O'Connell's offense, and he's scored at least 23.9 Fantasy points in each of his past two games against the 49ers and Texans, with six passing touchdowns over that span. This week, he's taking on a Packers defense that has more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns allowed (five), but Green Bay is also ninth in passing yards allowed to quarterbacks with 742. I'm buying this hot start by Darnold, and he's worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Not expected to miss time
Rotowire
The Vikings announced Monday that Darnold sustained a bone bruise to his left knee during Sunday's 34-7 win over the Texans and is not expected to miss any time, Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Darnold underwent an MRI on Monday after he missed one play in the third quarter of Sunday's win over Houston, with tests revealing that the veteran quarterback didn't sustain any structural damage to his knee. It's also encouraging for the Vikings offense that the team isn't expressing real concern about Darnold's health heading into a key road divisional matchup against the Packers. Across three games this season, Darnold has thrown for a league-leading eight touchdowns with just two interceptions, despite Jordan Addison (ankle) missing both of the past two games and star tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) still residing on the reserve/PUP list.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Getting knee checked out Monday
Rotowire
Darnold confirmed that he will undergo an MRI on his left knee after he missed one play in the third quarter of the Vikings' 34-7 win over the Texans on Sunday, when he took a low hit from Houston's Danielle Hunter, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports. He completed 17 of 28 pass attempts for 181 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions in the victory.
Darnold downplayed the knee issue when he spoke to the media following Sunday's game, though he admitted he wasn't sure if the injury would limit his participation in practice during the upcoming week. After making a brief visit to the medical tent on the Vikings' sideline to have his knee checked out late in the third quarter, Darnold didn't look to be too hindered by his knee the rest of the way, as he proceeded to lead Minnesota to three scores (two field goals, one touchdown) on the ensuing three drives upon re-entering the game. At this point, the expectation is that Darnold will be ready to play next Sunday at Green Bay, but the upcoming MRI should provide more clarity on the extent of his injury and shed more light on whether he'll be in jeopardy of missing time.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: QBs to Sit
Rotowire
Darnold has been one of the darling stories of the season so far as the starter for the Vikings, who are 2-0. He's averaging 21.3 Fantasy points per game against the Giants and 49ers, and we'll see if he can stay hot against the Texans. But I don't love this matchup for Darnold, and he's only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues. This Houston defense is nasty and just sacked Caleb Williams seven times in Week 2, and this should be Darnold's worst game of the season, which means I expect him to score fewer than 18 Fantasy points in Week 3.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Leads upset win shorthanded
Rotowire
Darnold completed 17 of 26 passes for 268 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and added five carries for 32 yards in the Vikings' 23-17 win over the 49ers on Sunday. He also committed two fumbles, recovering one.
Darnold wasn't quite as efficient as he'd been during a Week 1 win over the Giants in which he misfired on only five pass attempts, but considering he was missing Jordan Addison (ankle) from the onset of the game and then lost Justin Jefferson (quadriceps) late in the third quarter, the veteran signal-caller was effective overall. Well before the latter's exit from the game, however, the duo connected for a 97-yard touchdown pass that served as the highlight of the afternoon, and essentially, the difference in the game. Darnold did take his lumps against an aggressive 49ers defense that sacked him three times and hit him on an additional three occasions, jarring the ball loose twice. While Darnold and the Vikings were still able to escape with a high-quality victory, they will be hard-pressed to duplicate their success in a Week 3 home matchup against the Texans if neither Jefferson nor Addison are available for that contest.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: One To Stash (QB Preview)
Rotowire
Darnold looked above average in Week 1, but it's hard to judge his performance because the Giants secondary is one of the worst in the league. If he looks competent in Week 2 against the 49ers, then we will have to at least consider the possibility that he's going to be a borderline starter in Fantasy this season.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Week 2 Waiver Priority List
Rotowire
Darnold looked OK in Week 1 at the Giants in his first start for the Vikings with 18.6 Fantasy points. We'll see how he does in Week 2 against San Francisco, but playing in Kevin O'Connell's offense with Justin Jefferson could be exactly what Darnold needs to turn his career around. In deeper leagues, Darnold could be worth stashing for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Nearly perfect in team debut
Rotowire
Darnold completed 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Vikings' 28-6 win over the Giants on Sunday. He also rushed three times for three yards.
Returning to a MetLife Stadium field that was often a proverbial house of horrors for him during a difficult early career stint with the Jets, Darnold looked like a quarterback out for redemption over the course of a stellar Vikings debut. The veteran signal-caller connected with Justin Jefferson (three yards) and Jalen Nailor (21 yards) for his two touchdown passes, and his 12 consecutive completions to open the game tied franchise legend Fran Tarkenton's record in that category. Darnold had the perfect game environment to ease into his new role thanks in part to a dominant defensive performance by Minnesota, but the going figures to be a lot tougher in a Week 2 home showdown against the 49ers.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Adds/Streamers (QB Preview)
Rotowire
Darnold is only a start in two-QB leagues, but I do prefer him over Herbert, Derek Carr, and Russell Wilson this week. The Giants have arguably the worst secondary in the league and Darnold has Justin Jefferson. That should get him to 17 Fantasy points, which is more than I can count on from the guys listed above in Week 1.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Won't start Saturday
Rotowire
Coach Kevin O'Connell relayed Thursday that that Darnold's teammate Jaren Hall will start Saturday's preseason finale against the Eagles.
O'Connell added that Matt Corral is likely to see snaps after Hall on Saturday, with Darnold's next start thus slated to occur Week 1 against the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 8. The veteran QB is slated to open the regular season as Minnesota's top signal-caller, with first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy having landed on IR last week due to a knee injury.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Positioned as starter for 2024
Rotowire
Darnold is poised to start the Vikings' Sept. 8 season opener versus the Giants and could remain atop the depth chart at quarterback for the entire 2024 campaign after 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy (knee) underwent season-ending meniscus surgery Wednesday, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Darnold will continue dominating first-team reps while Nick Mullens moves up to the No. 2 role. The team may also consider signing another quarterback, but if Darnold is able to competently command the offense, he now has a clear path to a season-long starting gig. While he's mostly struggled throughout his career and has never played more than 13 games in a season, Darnold will have a strong supporting cast at his disposal in Minnesota. Justin Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in the league, Jordan Addison (ankle) is primed to build upon a 911-yard, 10-touchdown rookie campaign, and tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) should eventually provide the quarterback with a third talented pass-catching option. However, the Vikings offense could be somewhat limited if Addison is suspended for his offseason DUI arrest and/or Hockenson's recovery from an ACL tear stretches into the later portion of the regular season. Even with those concerns, it's a better situation than Darnold ever had during his time as a starter with the Jets and Panthers, making him a fantasy option for two-quarterback and superflex leagues, if nothing else.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Locked in as Week 1 starter
Rotowire
Darnold is in line to open the regular season as Minnesota's starting quarterback with J.J. McCarthy (knee) set to undergo surgery to address a meniscus tear, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The former Jet, Panthers and 49er has already been handling the majority of first-team reps in training camp, and with McCarthy slated to miss anywhere from a few weeks to multiple months depending on what form of surgery he needs, Darnold has a clear path to the starting gig to open the regular season. In his lone preseason series thus far, he completed four of eight pass attempts for 59 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Given the quality of Darnold's pass-catching corps to begin the season, headlined by wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, the journeyman QB could be in the mix as a fantasy option in deeper leagues when Minnesota faces the Giants on the road in Week 1.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Set for Saturday's start
Rotowire
Coach Kevin O'Connell said Thursday that Darnold will start Saturday's preseason game against the Raiders, and that rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy will also get "a significant amount of work," Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Darnold is listed atop Minnesota's initial preseason depth chart, and he's taken the majority of first-team reps to this point in training camp, though McCarthy is expected to be increasingly worked in with the starting unit as things progress. As long as he can turn in some solid preseason showings, though, Darnold still seems in solid position to win the starting gig for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Giants.
... See More... See Less
Vikings' Sam Darnold: Commits to Vikings
Rotowire
Darnold agreed to terms on a one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Darnold spent the 2023 campaign as Brock Purdy's backup in San Francisco, but he now will join his former teammate and current Vikings quarterback coach Josh McCown in Minnesota. With Kirk Cousins en route to Atlanta, Darnold becomes the de facto No. 1 option under center with his new team. Darnold completed 16 of 26 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown while adding another 19 yards and a trip to the end zone on seven carries in his only start for the 49ers last season. It remains to be seen if Minnesota will draft or bring in competition for Darnold, as the journeyman signal-caller could be viewed either as a bridge to a younger quarterback or potential option for the future.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Sam Darnold: Solid as backup in 2023
Rotowire
Darnold completed 61 percent of his pass attempts for 297 yards, two touchdowns and one interception across 10 games (one start) with San Francisco in 2023.
Darnold spent the majority of the campaign backing up MVP candidate Brock Purdy, with the veteran's lone start coming in the last game of the regular season with many starters resting for the playoffs. The third overall pick from the 2018 Draft appeared to be more comfortable under center while playing in head coach Kyle Shanahan's system. Darnold's high draft pedigree and improved polish should produce several suitors for the unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Sam Darnold: Scores twice in first start for SF
Rotowire
Darnold completed 16 of 26 pass attempts for 189 yards and a touchdown while rushing seven times for 19 yards and another score in Sunday's 21-20 loss to the Rams. He also lost a fumble.
The 49ers decided to rest starting quarterback Brock Purdy along with a handful of other key players Sunday, affording Darnold the opportunity to make his first start as a member of the team. The third overall pick from the 2018 Draft looked more polished and decisive in the pocket, even showing off his arm strength on a couple of deep completions in the face of pressure. That brief showcase will help Darnold's efforts to seek a new contract this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Until then, the 26-year-old will continue backing up Purdy for San Francisco's upcoming playoff run.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Sam Darnold: Starting regular-season finale
Rotowire
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Wednesday that Darnold will serve as the 49ers' starting quarterback for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Rams, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
The 49ers have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 12-4 record, so they will give starting quarterback Brock Purdy a breather before the playoffs. Star running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) has already been ruled out, and it's possible that Darnold won't have Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel or George Kittle at his disposal either against a Rams team that's also in rest mode prior to the postseason and will start Carson Wentz at quarterback.
