The Vikings’ 5 Best Players thru 6 Weeks
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The Minnesota Vikings take their undefeated streak back home this weekend for a date with the Detroit Lions, a team with the NFL’s fourth-best Super Bowl odds.
The Vikings’ 5 Best Players thru 6 Weeks
Minnesota’s 5-0 start is rather unexpected, and standout players have propelled the club along the way.
So, these are the Vikings’ five best players through five games. They’re ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = best player).
5. Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
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At 72.4, Van Ginkel’s PFF grade is nearly as sweet as last year’s 91.1. Van Ginkel is involved in almost every keynote defensive play, the ultimate ball hawk in Brian Flores’ top-ranked defense (per DVOA).
He’s a Swiss army knife with 19 tackles, 5 QB hits, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 pick-sixes. Van Ginkel has also logged 14 quarterback pressures. The man is a steal of a deal at $10 million per season.
VikeFans, a prominent X social media account, tweeted this stat after Minnesota defeated the New York in Week 5: “Vikings LB Andrew Van Ginkel had a 63-yd INT-return for a TD on Sunday and along with his 3 sacks this season and an interception-return for a TD in Wk 1, became the 1st player in NFL history with at least 3 sacks & 2 INT-return TDs in his team’s first five games of a season.”
4. Sam Darnold (QB)
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Darnold ranks ninth per EPA+CPOE among all qualifying quarterbacks heading into Week 7, an efficiency metric measuring expected wins added.
The Vikings asked him to run the enterprise in 2024, and when J.J. McCarthy tore his meniscus, many decided that Darnold could script a “Baker Mayfield-like season.” Well, he’s doing that. Precisely that, in fact.
He’s on pace for 3,777 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and 14 picks. Not bad for a former “bust.”
3. Aaron Jones (RB)
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Jones is on pace for 1,758 yards from scrimmage and 6 touchdowns. He’s the straw that stirs the drink on offense. If you need evidence, re-watch Minnesota’s offense versus the New York Jets two weeks ago when Jones hit the sidelines.
The veteran runner appears on track to play this week after a would-be swift injury recovery — and Minnesota needs him.
2. Christian Darrisaw (LT)
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PFF calls Darrisaw the business’ eighth-best offensive tackle, and the ranking checks out because the man virtually never has poor games. He’s a staple of the offensive line and is financially connected to Minnesota’s books through the end of 2029. In fact, per contractual standing at the moment, he’s scheduled to be the last man standing.
Any Top 5 list of best Vikings players without Darrisaw is heresy.
1. Justin Jefferson (WR)
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Jefferson is on pace for 1,530 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. His status as a superstar is so solidified that when he has 92 receiving yards — as he did against the Jets two weeks ago — that’s considered a “down game.”
He’s the Vikings’ best player and will remain so for years.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
