2023 Minnesota Vikings Preview: Roster Moves, Depth Chart, Schedule, Storylines and More

This article is part of our Team Previews series.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings overachieved last season, winning the NFC North despite being outscored by their opponents (minus-3 point differential). A high-powered aerial attack returns, and the team may face even more high-scoring affairs given key losses on an already struggling pass defense. The departure of top back Dalvin Cook brings some uncertainty, but with superstar wideout Justin Jefferson and a steady, if unspectacular, quarterback in Kirk Cousins still on hand, Minnesota should score enough to stay in the division title mix.

2023 Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Room

• Veteran Additions: None
• Draft Picks: Jaren Hall (Rd. 5, No. 164 – BYU)
• Departures: None

In the final year of his contract, Kirk Cousins returns to lead an offense that figures to remain among the NFL's top passing units. The veteran QB pushed his streak of at least 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns via the air to eight straight seasons in 2022, the longest active streak in the NFL. He should be set for another productive campaign with most of his weapons returning, including arguably the league's best wide receiver in Justin Jefferson.

Minnesota's defense was 31st in passing yards allowed and 31st in net yards per attempt last season, and this time around Cousins may be forced to pass the ball even more with the team's secondary breaking in three new starters and the pass rush losing Za'Darius Smith (10 sacks).

Still around to provide a steady hand as the No. 2 will be Nick Mullens, who appeared in four games in mop-up duty last year and completed 21 of 25 passes for 224 yards, one TD and one interception. Meanwhile, Hall, a rookie, provides the team with a developmental signal-caller to groom behind the top duo.

2023 Minnesota Vikings Backfield

• Veteran Additions: None
• Draft Picks: DeWayne McBride (Rd. 7, No. 222, UAB)
• Departures: Dalvin Cook (FA)

Minnesota's backfield will look dramatically different after the team cut Cook in June. Though he had at least 1,000 rushing yards in four straight seasons, his $9 million salary was jettisoned in a salary-cap crunch.

The team instead elected to sign his former understudy, Alexander Mattison, to a two-year, $7 million contract and elevate him to the starting role. While Mattison lacks breakaway speed (4.67 40, career 4.1 YPC), he's familiar with the offense, has the frame to handle large workloads (5-11, 215) and boasts a strong track record as a receiver (career catch rate of 83.3 percent at 6.3 YPT).

How the touches that don't go to Mattison will be distributed remains to be seen, however. To that end, Ty Chandler, an enticing prospect with a 4.38 40, will compete with Kene Nwangwu, a 2021 fourth-round pick, and 2023 seventh-rounder McBride for complementary work in the Vikings backfield. To date, the Vikings mostly have used Nwangwu's speed on kick returns, and the rookie's lack of receiving skills probably excludes him from third-down duty.

2023 Minnesota Vikings Receiving Corps

• Veteran Additions: WR Brandon Powell (from Rams); TE Josh Oliver (from Ravens)
• Draft Picks: WR Jordan Addison (Rd. 1, No. 23 – USC)
• Departures: WR Adam Thielen (to Panthers); TEs Irv Smith (to Bengals), Ben Ellefson (retired)

Justin Jefferson, the focus of the Vikings' passing attack, is on a record pace. He's one of just three players to reach 4,000 receiving yards through his first three NFL seasons, and the 2020 first-rounder led the NFL with 1,809 such yards last year.

The Vikings released Thielen after 10 years with the team and used a first-round draft pick to select Addison as his replacement. Addison put up 3,134 yards in three seasons between Pitt and USC, including a 100-1,593-17 receiving line in 2021 at the first school. He's not a burner (just a 4.49 40) nor a big target (5-11, 173), but he's seen as an NFL-ready steady producer who can thrive with all the attention focused on Jefferson. 

T.J. Hockenson could be the No. 2 target in the passing game after he finished second among NFL tight ends in targets (129), receptions (86) and receiving yards (914) in 2022. His volume increased after his midseason trade to the Vikings, with whom he averaged six catches and 8.6 targets per game, up from 3.7 receptions and 6.1 targets with the Lions.

K.J. Osborn returns as a productive third receiver (60-650-5 on 90 targets last season) but may struggle to see targets that don't go to the top trio.

2023 Minnesota Vikings Sleepers

⬆️  Sleeper: Alexander Mattison

Mattison is the Vikings' clear No. 1 running back for 2023, especially due to the competition behind him on the depth chart. As such, Mattison is getting plenty of attention during draft season, but he may still be getting undersold considering his brief stints as the team's starting RB in four pro campaigns. In six such outings, he averaged 23.3 touches for 115.5 yards from scrimmage per game with five total touchdowns, which, if replicated this year, would put him among the top tier of NFL runners.

😴  Super Sleeper: Kene Nwangwu

There have been signs that Nwangwu has the early lead to be Mattison's backup this season. First, he got first-team reps alongside Kirk Cousins during the offseason program. Then, Nwangwu appeared to open training camp as the No. 2. Perhaps the Vikings want to see what they have in the 2021 fourth-rounder after using him almost exclusively as a kick returner in his first two campaigns. At the very least, Nwangwu's 4.31 speed may be put to use on jet sweeps and other special packages.

2023 Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Kevin O'Connell (Year 2)

Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips (Year 2) – West Coast offense

Defensive Coordinator: Brian Flores (Year 1) – 3-4 scheme

2023 Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart

QB: Kirk Cousins / Nick Mullens / Jaren Hall

RB: Alexander Mattison / Ty Chandler / Kene Nwangwu / DeWayne McBride

FB: C.J. Ham

WR1: Justin Jefferson / Jalen Nailor

WR2: Jordan Addison / Jalen Reagor

WR3: K.J. Osborn / Brandon Powell

TE: T.J. Hockenson / Josh Oliver / Johnny Mundt / Nick Muse

O-Line: LT Christian Darrisaw / LG Ezra Cleveland / C Garrett Bradbury / RG Ed Ingram / RT Brian O'Neill (RotoWire Rank: No. 11)

Kicker: Greg Joseph / Jack Podlesny

Full 2023 Depth Chart

Stats to Know for the Minnesota Vikings

2023 Projected Wins via FanDuel Sportsbook: 8.5 (T-15th)

2022 Record: 13-4

2022 Points Scored: 424 (7th)

2022 Points Allowed: 427 (T-28th)

2022 Point Differential: -3 (15th)

2022 Run-Play Rate: 35.6 percent (30th)

2022 Offensive Snaps: 1,123 (6th)

2022 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 13

Full 2022 Team Stats

2023 Minnesota Vikings Schedule

Minnesota Vikings Odds To Win Super Bowl LVIII

• Vikings Super Bowl 58 Odds: 35-1

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 8:00 PM ET on July 30, 2023.