In his rookie season, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison flashed some serious upside. Now, the talented 22-year-old former first-round pick (23rd) overall in the 2023 NFL Draft from the University of Southern California (USC) should be even better but faces a few hurdles in repeating and exceeding his rookie season.
With Kirk Cousins going to the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings face uncertainty regarding the quarterback position. They signed veteran journeyman Sam Darnold, who’s battling current first-round pick (10th) overall J.J. McCarthy for the starting role. On top of that, Addison got himself involved with some legal issues when he was arrested on suspicion of a DUI in July. This isn’t the first time he’s been in trouble with the law. Last summer in Minnesota, he was cited for speeding and reckless driving after going 140 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone relating to an emergency with his dog, per the police report. He was not arrested and then later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. He ended up paying just a fine, and most importantly, he didn’t face a suspension from the NFL. But now it’s possible that he could face some discipline for this latest run-in. So, with the 2024 season just around the corner and the preseason already started, should you be buying, selling, or holding Addison? Let’s dive in.
* The statistics in this article were pulled from Sports Reference, KeepTradeCut (KTC), and Sleeper.
2023 Season Review
Addison was very productive during college and showed off dynamic traits, which got him drafted high. As a rookie, Addison came into the season number four on the Vikings’ depth chart behind superstar Justin Jefferson, as well as K.J. Osborn and Jalen Nailor. Addison was listed at 5’11” and 175 pounds, certainly a slimmer build for NFL standards. He was given a chance in Week 1, and with limited snaps, he produced four catches on six targets for 61 yards and one touchdown, posting 14.10 fantasy points (Full-PPR). Addison finished as the WR17 overall in his first professional game. From that point on, Addison proved he earned more playing time in the Vikings pass-heavy offense, and he quickly became the number two wide receiver on the team behind Jefferson. His best fantasy game came in Week 7 against a tough San Francisco 49ers defense, posting seven catches on 10 targets for 123 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with 31.80 fantasy points (Full-PPR). This performance was good enough for a WR1 overall finish. He continued to take advantage of his opportunity, finishing as WR1 on the week one additional time, in Week 15 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Addison hauled in all six of his targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with 26.10 fantasy points (Full-PPR). Addison came close to a 1,000-yard season as he ended the year with 911 yards, 70 catches on 108 targets, and 10 touchdowns.
He proved that he was the clear-cut number two wide receiver on the Vikings, and the team had so much faith in him that this past offseason, they let Osborn leave as a free agent. As a rookie, Addison was a little boom or bust and averaged 10.96 fantasy points per game (Full-PPR) despite seeing just an 18.1% target share. In Week 8, the Vikings lost Kirk Cousins for the season to an Achilles injury, contributing to some of his inconsistency. Overall, he proved to be a rising star in the league and within the Dynasty community, as he had a very productive rookie season.
Jordan Addison’s Dynasty Value
Going into his second season, after Addison’s great rookie year, the sky appeared to be the limit. But his value recently dipped because of the Vikings’ uncertainty at the quarterback position and his recent legal issues, which are pending because of the possibility that he might face a multiple-game suspension.
Currently, Addison is listed as the Vikings’ WR2 behind Jefferson. If the Vikings have consistent quarterback play and he doesn’t face a suspension, his value on KeepTradeCut (KTC) will only go up. But he’s currently valued at WR29 and is the 73rd overall player. He’s placed behind Deebo Samuel and Ladd McConkey and one spot behind rookie Brian Thomas Jr. Addison’s value was at an all-time high when KeepTradeCut (KTC) had him at 5,757 on November 15, 2023, and now it has fallen to 4,276. Based on his career production to this point in one year and his upside, he could be valued higher, but since he’s a WR2 and not a WR1, it’s probably fair if his value is somewhere in between. But now, Addison’s value presents a chance for Dynasty managers looking to acquire players when their value has taken a dip.
Outlook & Advice
When looking at Addison’s rookie season, nothing about it seems to be a fluke. He wasn’t quite the league winner that Puka Nacua was, and he didn’t produce at Tank Dell‘s level before he got hurt, but Addison proved he belonged. Dynasty Fantasy Football managers must be encouraged by what they saw last season.
What encourages me the most about Addison is that the Vikings didn’t force him into a traditional slot role despite being undersized. He only ran 23.3% of his routes out of the slot, meaning most of his routes came from the outside, where he succeeded. He also saw a 12.5-yard average depth of target, which was 29th in the league. Addison was being used downfield as he had several long touchdowns, which showed off his big-play capability and made his upside more intriguing. If either Darnold or McCarthy can prove to be capable quarterbacks, then I’m all in on acquiring Addison. His value has dipped, and the Vikings have been a pass-heavy offense the last few years, so if they stay with that same offensive philosophy long-term, that’s great for Addison. Even with Jefferson as the clear-cut number-one receiver, Addison averaged 15.8 fantasy points per game (Full-PPR) in eight games with Cousins, which is close to being in the threshold for WR1 production.
Overall, we want to focus more on talent than situation in Dynasty. So, with this, Addison is the exact type of receiver you want. There are concerns, but he’s been productive with good quarterback play. The only other concern is that as long as the Vikings have Jefferson, there’s a zero percent chance he’ll ever be able to be the Vikings’ WR1. But, as noted, the Vikings have a pass-heavy offense, and he’s proven to be a very productive player in this situation. As long as the Vikings stay pass-heavy, Addison will produce for Dynasty Fantasy Football managers for a long time, even though it might be closer to WR2 production than WR1.
I would understand if Dynasty managers wanted to cash out on Addison, but that also comes with risk. Based on his uncertain quarterback, his value could continue to slide, but it could also increase. Ultimately, Addison can be viewed as a player capable of averaging at or near 15.0 fantasy points per game. At this price, I’m buying the talent over the situation, and by 2025 we could be talking about a top 20 Dynasty wide receiver mainly because there’s time for things to work themselves out. On KeepTradeCut, he’s being valued as a late 2025 first-rounder or similar to players such as Xavier Worthy, Jayden Reed, and Rashee Rice. With this, as long as you believe in the player and the Vikings’ ability to find their quarterback of the future, then I would be willing to trade a player somewhere in this range, but I’d be aiming to give up slightly less. Or trying to package multiple assets to get Addison is another route. Addison will likely appeal to rebuilding managers as contending managers are less interested in him because his 2024 season might not be as productive.
Conclusion
If I’m a rebuilding manager more than a contending manager, Addison is someone I would be looking to acquire because of his age and potential as an up-and-coming star wide receiver in the NFL for many years. With this, Addison is one of the better buys at the wide receiver position in Dynasty Fantasy Football right now because his value has dipped. We’ve seen his production so far, and going into his second year, he’s barely tapped into his potential. Additionally, if you believe in the future of the Vikings quarterback position, then now is the time to get him before his value starts soaring. The window to buy Addison at this price could be shut shortly. So, add him to your Dynasty rosters now, as he can become a part of your core foundation for a championship-caliber roster.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you gained some valuable information. If you have any questions or you’d like additional insight and analysis, please follow me on Twitter/X at @MonicasHubby. #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
