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As we race toward August, Footballguys.com will examine one team per weekday with our quick-hitting Team Sleepers feature. These players might not be complete busts, but we will be highlighting players our staff thinks will disappoint this year and underperform their average draft position (ADP).
Go Deeper: See in-depth projections for every Vikings player here >>>
This is a weekday series that will stretch through August 1. If you like this and want another, come back the next workday. Another will be here.
Please note that our staff has identified the players listed below. The official Footballguys stance for every Viking can be found on our projections page.
Busts on the Minnesota Vikings
- TE T.J. Hockenson - 4 votes
- RB Jordan Mason - 3 votes
- RB Aaron Jones - 2 votes
- No One - 2 votes
- LB Andrew Van Ginkel - 1 vote
- QB J.J. McCarthy - 1 vote
- LB Ivan Pace Jr. - 1 vote
Reasons TE T.J. Hockenson Could Be a Bust
- Jason Wood: Hockenson was TE18 last year on a per-game basis. While there's a good case for him bettering that output in 2025, his role, age, and the depth at receiver in Minnesota all make drafting him as a top-5 tight end a risky proposition.
- Maurile Tremblay: ADP bakes in a full bounce-back, but lingering knee concerns plus a still-developing QB make a top-5 finish doubtful.
- Phil Alexander: Nothing against Hockenson, who should be fine, but I'm never hunting tight ends when he comes off the board. Lots of upside wide receivers in his range.
- Craig Lakins: He's coming off his worst per-game output since 2020. There's still a path to success here, but it's hard to click his name at his current ADP.