J.J. McCarthy Throws A Lot More ... and It Doesn't Go Well

By Matt Schauf | Updated on Sun, Nov 9 2025 10:04 PM UTC

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy averaged just 22 pass attempts across his first three starts this season. That vaulted to 42 attempts in Sunday's loss to the Ravens. McCarthy completed just 20 of those throws (47.6%) for 248 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. He added 48 yards on five rushes, leading Minnesota in ground yards for the game.

What They're Saying

ESPN's Kevin Seifert, late in the fourth quarter: "As we've seen in other games, J.J. McCarthy loses accuracy as he gets amped up during the course of the game. His throws are just spraying right now."

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

McCarthy has completed just 53.7% of his throws through four starts. He's averaging a mere 6.4 yards per pass attempt. And he has tossed 6 INTs and fumbled four times (losing three) vs. just 5 TD passes.

It ain't good. And McCarthy's play is limiting the output for Minnesota's pass-catchers.

WR Jalen Nailor racked up a 5-124-1 receiving line on just six targets against the Ravens on Sunday, but a 62-yard catch-and-run TD accounted for exactly half of that yardage.

More importantly, Justin Jefferson posted just a 4-37 receiving line Sunday on 12 targets. And Jordan Addison went for only 3-35 on 11 targets.

TE T.J. Hockenson caught two passes for 8 yards against the Ravens and has yet to exceed 15 yards in a McCarthy game. (That high came on 3 receptions in the opener. He has 5 catches in three contests since.)

Minnesota gets a soft Chicago defense in Week 11, but McCarthy needs to prove he's capable of taking advantage.

He faced the Bears back in the opener, played three rough quarters, and then piloted a late comeback. McCarthy finished that game just 13-of-20 passing for 143 yards, with 2 TDs, 1 INT, and a 2-25-1 rushing line.

McCarthy's a high-risk fantasy play himself, with a limited ceiling from what we've seen.

Matt Schauf, Editor

Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.